I'm a bit of a designed-for-soccer stadium junkie; I track the deals to get them built anxiously, I follow their construction progress closely, and I get giddy when they finally begin to take shape (as Philly's is as we speak).
There's not much that will bring more credibility to MLS as a proper professional American sports league than every team playing in its own stadium. Converted minor league baseball stadiums, college football stadiums, and crumbling multi-use relics do nothing to help the profile of a league that is constantly fighting a "second rate" image. The more teams that get into proper facilities, the better.
Three clubs recently on the hunt for stadium deals are Houston, DC United, and Kansas City.
Houston Dynamo
The Dynamo have a provisional deal on the table with the City of Houston, and just needs a commitment from Harris County to get things going. Dynamo fans, rightly anxious and ready for the pact to be finalized, recently held a rally on the proposed site. Despite my initial concerns that newly-elected mayor Annise Parker might scuttle the deal, it appears the hangup is not with the City, but the County.
Houston desperately needs a stadium. After relocating to Texas from San Jose because a deal couldn't be found in California, it would be a massive blow to have a stadium in Houston fall through. The Dynamo have been a model organization, draw well, and carry the MLS flag in more way than one. Let's cross our fingers that Harris County pulls the trigger on the $10 million they would need to contribute to get the stadium started.
DC United
After a flurry of activity in the first half of 2009, there's been little to no movement on any stadium deal for DC United. The club heads into the season with one primary owner (Will Chang) ready and willing to make a deal with whatever nearby locality opens their minds. As with Houston, DC is a flag-bearer for MLS, and every year that goes by without the club in its own dedicated facility, the worse the league looks.
Back in October, Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon floated a proposal to conduct a feasibility study for a soccer-specific stadium in the city with an eye towards luring DC United north. Forgotten by many (including myself), Baltimore's interest has popped up again, with news that funds have been approved to conduct the study.
United moving to the Charm City would be a devastating blow to its existing fan base. Few, if any, of the club's committed fans will be willing to travel that far to support a team that no longer truly belongs to them. While I love the idea of a top-flight club in Baltimore, and another dedicated soccer stadium in a major US city is always good, United must find themselves a site in the immediate DC metropolitan area. And not too far out from the city, if you please.
Kansas City Wizards
Unlike Houston and DC, the Kansas City Wizards now have a deal signed, sealed, and delivered. Wyandotte County, Kansas unanimously approved funding for a mixed-use project yesterday, green-lighting construction. The Wizards' finally settling on a Kansas site comes after more than a year of haggling over a Missouri site that until as recently as mid-2009 was the front-runner.
With ground-breaking today, the Wizards are on their way to joining the list of teams with proper and club-controlled stadiums. Opening is scheduled for late 2011 or early 2012.
Head over the the team's blog, Hillcrest Road, to see some renderings.
As much of a stadium junkie as I am, I look forward to the day when posts like this are impossible because every MLS club is its own stadium designed specifically for soccer.
