New York City FC Stadium

For the proposed new stadium of York City F.C., see York Community Stadium.

The New York City FC Stadium is a proposed soccer-specific stadium to be built in New York City for the expansion franchise New York City FC of Major League Soccer. The team currently plays their home games at Yankee Stadium.[1]

Proposed Hudson River plan

Prior to an expansion team being awarded to private ownership in 2011, Major League Soccer considered building a stadium in the borough of Manhattan on a pier at the west end of Houston Street adjacent to Hudson River Park. However the plan was scrapped due to local opposition.[2]

Proposed Flushing Meadows plan

In 2012, before the club's founding was announced in May 2013, MLS presented initial plans to build a soccer stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the borough of Queens.[3] In 2013, Major League Soccer was in negotiations to build a stadium in Flushing Meadows for a future team. The stadium would be located on the site of the Pool of Industry/Fountain of the Planets from the 1964 New York World's Fair.[4] No agreement was made.[5] MLS had considered 24 potential sites and concluded that Flushing Meadows Corona Park was the only viable option.[6]

The plan received opposition from community advocacy groups, for converting public park space for a private enterprise, and leasing 13 acres of public land for $1 a year for 35 years.[7] In addition, New York City comptroller John Liu said, "I like the idea of a soccer venue in New York City… What I'm not crazy about is the fact that they want to take public park land in the process".[7] Any deal that uses public park land would require a land swap and the creation of a replacement public park. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who expressed support for the Flushing Meadows site proposed converting the nearby site of the decommissioned Flushing Airport, but that plan too has encountered criticism, as it would not require the club to purchase any land, and would replace a park in a low-income neighborhood with one in a more affluent neighborhood and not accessible by public transit.[7]

The New York Mets, the crosstown rivals of New York City FC's minority owner, the New York Yankees, have also expressed their opposition to a new stadium at Flushing Meadows, as the site is within sight of Citi Field, the Mets' home field. The Mets responded with an apparent demand for up to $40 million in compensation for the use of their parking facilities at soccer games should the new stadium be built.[8]

The league announced that the club would "continue to review other potential sites as well", although MLS commissioner Don Garber had said in April 2013 that "There is no Plan B" should the Flushing Meadows plan fall through.[6]

Proposed Bronx plan

After the Queens proposal was scrapped, there was a proposal to build the stadium in the borough of the Bronx adjacent to Yankee Stadium.[9] On June 13, 2013, Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz, Jr. wrote an open letter to Garber, imploring him to consider his borough as an alternative location given the issues surrounding the Queens location, though by this time New York City FC and its owners had taken over the bulk of the work in selecting a location.[10]

The club plans to play at Yankee Stadium for an unspecified number of years.[11] Ferran Soriano, CEO of Manchester City F.C., stated the team "will have to play in a temporary location for two years, maybe three."[12]

On August 29, 2013, plans for a proposed nine-acre complex near Yankee Stadium, between the Major Deegan Expressway and East 153rd Street, were leaked. Randy Levine, the president of the Yankees, confirmed these reports, but stated that any plans were far from final.[13]

In December 2013, the team and Mayor Bloomberg's administration were close to an agreement over a $350 million stadium near Yankee Stadium. Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio, who replaced Bloomberg in January 2014, expressed opposition to the deal, as it involved tax breaks, public financing and a sale or lease of public land. The plan requires buying land currently occupied by a factory, which would have to be rebuilt at another location and demolishing a parking garage, potentially leaving the city responsible for its $240 million debt.[14]

In March 2015, New York property lawyer Martin Edelman, a member of Manchester City's board of directors, said that NYCFC had abandoned the Bronx plan and were looking at locations in Queens and Brooklyn to build a new stadium.[15]

Proposed Columbia University plan

In April 2015, NYCFC was reported to be interested in building a new stadium in Columbia University's Baker Athletics Complex in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan. The 17,000 seat Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium would be demolished and replaced with a $400 million 25,000 seat stadium to be used by NYCFC and the Columbia Lions.[2]

References

  1. ↑ New York City FC fittingly celebrate their first home game with a first win
  2. 1 2 Bagli, Charles V.; Das, Andrew (April 28, 2015). "New York City F.C., Searching for Stadium Site, Is Considering Columbia Athletic Complex". The New York Times. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  3. ↑ Picker, David (December 5, 2012). "M.L.S. Promotes Stadium at a Town Hall Meeting". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  4. ↑ Leight, Holly (May 13, 2013). "Be Our Guest: Major League Soccer Stadium Would Pollute Flushing Meadows-Corona Park". Daily News (New York). Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Club Statement 21 May" (Press release). Manchester City FC. May 21, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Anuta, Joe (May 21, 2013). "Yankees Join MLS Stadium Project as Search for Site Expands". TimesLedger. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Carlisle, Jeff (May 21, 2013). "Many Questions Surround Stadium Plans, NYC FC". ESPN. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ Belson, Ken; Bagli, Charles V. (May 21, 2013). "A Team Is Born, but Not All Cheer". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  9. ↑ Martinez, Dave (February 1, 2014). "Favorable Returns for NYCFC After Stadium Town Hall". Empire of Soccer. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  10. ↑ Edwards, Andy (June 13, 2013). "Borough Battle: Bronx President Ready to Compete with Queens for NYCFC Stadium". Major League Soccer. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  11. ↑ Bradley, Jeff (April 21, 2014). "NYCFC Announces Plans to Play at Yankee Stadium; No Timetable Given for Stay". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  12. ↑ Borg, Simon (May 21, 2013). "New York City FC to Play at Temporary Location for "Two Years, Maybe Three"". Major League Soccer. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  13. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. (August 30, 2013). "Soccer Club's Latest Stadium Proposal Would Give the Yankees a New Neighbor". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  14. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. (December 11, 2013). "Deal for Bronx Soccer Stadium in Works as Clock Ticks". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  15. ↑ Williams, Bob (March 13, 2015). "New York City FC's home truth: Yankee Stadium will never be their field of dreams". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
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