Louisville City FC narrows search for stadium site
courier-journal.com/story/sports/soccer/louis...Posted Feb 18, 2017, 6:37 PM UTC
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courier-journal.com
I heard it will be at the Challenger Lifts site. Its out of the flood plain and it appears that Challenger is moving their facility anyway: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2015/06/17/challenger-lifts-plans-plant-near-airport/28887709/
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Is that enough space?
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According to the developers that told my neighbor, it is.
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Any other parts or just that one area? It seems there is a storage site near it and marshalls auto parts. Without those two properties, that a seriously odd shaped piece of land.
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No smaller than the other places speculated. I would assume it's multiple properties. The land in the flood plain would be cheaply had. Look at LOJIC maps to see property lines, etc.
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Definitely.
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This site would be incredible. Almost as good as the storage tank site.
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It has to be at the Urban Development government building on Barrett Ave
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but that's not visible from the highway so...
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That's what I thought when I heard that, have no idea of the location now
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How far is the lot from the highway?
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About a mile from 65/71/64 on all sides. Might technically be visible from a highway, but im assuming that's not really what they meant by that.
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The impound lot? It's right by 71 and would be visible from there and probably 65. That's my guess where it will be. Champions Park has the space but the flooding issue and lack of restaurants and bars would be an issue. Plus it doesn't strike me as a place that "millennials would want it".
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Yeah, that "millennials" comment at the end of the article made me think it wasn't Champions Park either. Most of the impound lot is not in a flood zone either - you may be on to something here
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That would be my preferred site as well, it seems perfect on paper. But it's not close enough to the highway if that is their priority.
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At this point I'll be a little disappointed by any site that isn't Barret Ave.
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You really think that space is big enough? I don't..
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I think you are going to be disappointed.
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Visible from highway. Large area for expansion. 10 sq miles.
Champions Park it is then.
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That's literally the only place I can think with all those descriptors...there are worse places to go, but it could be better
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That would work if they could mitigate the flood risk somehow. There's also the issue of there not being much near there in terms of bars and restaurants.
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Our primary owner is a land developer who owns his own brewery. Wouldn't be shocked if Falls City becomes a permanent resident of the stadium. Also, Louis The Ton and Apocalypse Brewing are close enough to walk.
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That's a good point, hadn't considered that. I would think the flooding might be a bigger issue, unless they have figured out a solution to that.
It's also curious that the city recently rejected a proposal for an aquarium in Champion's Park last week ostensibly due to the potential flooding...maybe could have also been due to LCFC's interest in the parcel?
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Don't forget Mellwood Tavern, Silver Dollar, and Hilltop Tavern.
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http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/watch-minor-league-team-makes-use-of-flooded-clubhouse/
[Apples to oranges:] The Bats don't seem to mind that the stadium is on the wrong side of the flood wall.
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Visible from the highway makes me thing we're more likely to hear it's going to be in Portland. It would be a major part of the redevelopment and a popular area for millennials. Otherwise maybe the impound lot, even though it's hard to see building bars and restaurants from scratch, and the options in Butchertown (love them) are few while the walk up to Frankfort Ave is maybe a littler further than people might go.
But damn, the Barret Ave location would be sweet. And that might be JUST visible depending on the height of the stadium and the lights, scoreboard, etc.
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I'm trying to decode the clues in the article and Neace's quotes. I may be reading too much into them, but here's what I get:
“We’re 100 percent down the line in terms of knowing the site that we want and having the ground optioned up, but we don’t own any of it yet"
"any of it" and "optioned up" seems to mean that the site has multiple tracts to assemble and negotiate from multiple owners, not that it's a single tract. Champions Park is Metro-owned, so there would be no piecemeal process of optioning and buying. That seems to count it out (plus the floodplain issues, obviously). The Impound lot on Frankfort sits on a few tracts owned by Metro, Commonwealth of KY, and LG&E. So, it would have to be assembled, but it's all public/utility owners, not businesses/developers/etc that would need to be convinced to move or cash out in a long optioning/assembly process. It is also partially in the floodplain, but not nearly to the extent that Champions Park is.
Then, of course, the visible from an interstate and within 10 miles of downtown requirement. Other than Champions Park and the impound lot, I-64 and I-71 east of downtown and inside the Watterson is entirely through expensive residential neighborhoods, protected parkland, and developed hospital/commercial/office space, and I don't see anywhere else a stadium could possibly fit. The Watterson itself also has very few undeveloped or underused tracts nearby big enough. I-65 from downtown south to the Watterson is adjacent to dense old neighborhoods (Old Louisville, Shelby Park, St Joseph, Audubon Park, etc.) that they're not going to bulldoze, U of L Campus, and the Fairgrounds. I can't see them wanting to get under the control of the Fair Board, so the fairgrounds is unlikely. U of L isn't going to give up any of the land they've been assembling along the east edge of their campus. There's a chance they could put together some land in the industrial area near the Harley Dealer on Arthur Street, or along the west side of Preston Highway (maybe the Value City shopping center and some adjacent property?), but none of that seems likely.
Other options that fit the highway visibility are the junkyard/tank farm area along Adams Street in Butchertown next to the Kennedy Junction (also manageable floodplain issues there), or the industrial area along Main west of 9th Street, where they could potentially get enough businesses to sell up and move (and be next to Neace's Falls City brewery/tap room.) Farther west off I-64 you've got floodplain on the river side, and full blocks of houses on the south side.
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We will find out. The city could rezone it. Also, moving the impound may be more costly. I would take that valuation with a grain of salt. I think they are relocating with tax incentives already.
Location wise it makes more sense for the neighborhood to be at the Challenger location as well.
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Challenger Lifts or Barret Ave would be the best. Impound lot would be cool too. Not a fan of Champions Park, not enough walkability. I personally don't have a problem with it being in Portland, but are they worried that casual fans wouldn't want to attend?
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I think the stadium will be at the site of the impound lot. It's visible from both 65 and 71, is by NuLu and Frankfort avenue. I'd paste a picture but I'm not sure how lol
You're probably right. It would be cheaper than any other lot in that area, as well as being out of the floodplain completely. Just have to figure out parking.
I'd be in heaven if this is true.