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Old 07-04-2013, 04:17 PM   #75
shermanator
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I agree with your points to Jimmy Stang, but there are issues with every stadium that could be considered. A member on the Voyageurs board wrote this up, which highlights potential locations:


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1) Foothills Athletic Park - next door to McMahon. Home of the PDL/A-League Storm from 2001-03. It has been renovated since then to accommodate the Canadian track and field nationals. Capacity is maybe 3000? No lights. Running track and you are really far away. Back in the Storm's days, the pitch was very narrow. Good location - lots of parking, close to mass transit. Scheduled to be demolished and replaced with a massive new fieldhouse whenever the city gets the money together.

2) Burns Stadium - baseball stadium next to McMahon. Has been pretty much vacant since the Vipers folded a couple years ago. Capacity about 7000. Good location. Minimal amenities - probably 20 years behind the curve in the world of minor pro sports - and no suites, club seating, etc. Could be renovated for soccer. The city owns it and said before they are not putting a dime into it for a new tenant. Now it is slated for demolition to make way for the new fieldhouse mentioned above.

3) Shouldice Park - the stadium field holds 3000. New facility primarily designed for football - turf with permanent lines. Soccer team do play there. Location is okay, not sure about transit or parking. Probably comparable to Clarke in Edmonton. Could be a temp home only.

4) Glenmore Park - capacity about 1000 with minimal expansion space. Minimal and outdated facilities - I remember having to go to the ice rink next door to go to the washroom as there were none at the field. PDL Storm Prospects played here one year when the A-League team was the primary club. Slated to be demolished and replaced with a new stadium in the same park - no time frame but years away. Wouldn't work.

5) SAIT field - capacity mimimal with little chance to expand. Turf field. Good location for transit, parking limited due to being on campus. Not feasible.

6) Calgary Rugby Park - capacity 2400. I don't know much about it, but natural grass field and presumably good facilities. Calgary's W-League team used if for one year. I've never been there as it's far from my house in an industrial area in the SE. I don't know about transit. I suppose it's a possibility but it's not really close to anyone. I would be really careful about this location - don't want to be in a situation like the NHL Coyotes with all of your potential fans are too geographically far away.

I think the best option in terms of atmosphere is Calgary Rugby Park, but for almost all other aspects, it is not great. I think this situation highlights that we don't have any options right now.
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