jonrapley

Being European I just get very particular about the design of soccer stadiums, but I am actually very excited for Grand Rapids to have a team again and will definitely follow the USL league a lot more closely this season (ESPN + and CBS.) I have been critical about the lack of seating behind the goals, mainly because that is my fav place to view games from, but the stadium and it's location has a lot of potential to succeed. I also feel like they can get creative with events to host at the stadium too, an outdoor Griffins game would be cool, maybe lacrosse, rugby, some local college or highschool soccer games? Just ideas to keep the stadium active for as much as possible.

That's disappointing. The stadium atmosphere is definitely going to feel weird without a supporters section behind a goal. I was willing to accept it behind one goal if it looked like the stadium down in Louisville picture below. Instead I fear it will feel like this monstrousty down in Rio Grande

Looking at comparable stadiums around the USL, 2 years seems like the average build time. Hopefully it can be built by summer 2026 to take advantage of the World Cup buzz, maybe hosting watch party events.

The renderings were quite underwhelming in my opinion. I hope the stadium doesn't actually end up looking like this, the lack of seats all the way around the pitch will create a horrible atmosphere and just looks unfinished. Also I understand that the layout is kind of awkward with the former Big Boy site, but that plaza/entrance on the south east will be opposite a burger king and a highway entrance, not exactly the pedestrian friendly area the renderings make it out to be. I'll be more curious to see what they do with the north end and how they incorporate that into fans coming from bridge Street.

That's a valid point with that exit With such a big development they definitely have an opportunity to rework some of those streets in the area. I would hope that on game days they could reroute traffic and close Mt Vernon just to ease traffic off the highway. I still live in hope that they will pedestrianize summer Ave from Bridge to the stadium. it would almost have that Greek town feeling in Detroit before games at Ford Field, with all the bars and restaurants in the area.

Going off the European idea, I'd also like to see seating all the way around the pitch. Nothing better than a supporters group behind their teams goal. I don't know why many lower league US stadiums are obsessed with a giant scoreboard or just empty space behind the goal.

Kind of related to the Soccer Specific Stadium. USL has announced a 4 year media rights agreement with CBS Sports that will see league matches featured on network television for the first time ever. The agreement covers USL Championship and USL League One, both leagues that Grand Rapids have been rumoured to be looking at. https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-sports/releases/?view=108744-cbs-sports-announces-multi-year-rights-agreement-with-united-soccer-league

I like those renderings, I do think it would be a missed opportunity to not create a plaza north of the stadium, between the stadium and bridge street. Realistically speaking none of those streets need to be open for vehicle traffic once the stadium is the built. I think the south paza is kind of wasted when you consider it's right by a highway entrance and opposite a burger king. But truthfully I'm just happy to have a SSS in GR!

I must admit as a soccer fan i am happy to not have to share a potential stadium with an American football team. If Grand Rapids wants to be serious about bringing USL championship to the city then a soccer specific stadium is a must. The city should look at stadiums like Lynn Family stadium in Louisville or Weidner Field in Colorado Springs as a great examples of urban stadiums to replicate.

Was that where the taste of Cairo place was?

Is there even a demand for a direct bus to the airport, let alone rail? Sure it would be nice to have as a city but I think the downtown density isn't there to demand it. I live in midtown and I'd still Uber or Lyft over taking a bus downtown, transferring and then taking another bus. I can't imagine people who live further away from the downtown central station would want to do that either, let alone people who live in the surrounding towns. I have to imagine most business travelers coming into the city aren't necessarily going downtown, and if they are, their company probably partners with Uber or Lyft.

If anyone wants to see what an 8k seater stadium can really do to an area, my home country of Gibraltar has just realeased their plans for a stadium redevelopment and it comes with a shopping mall, residential and a business centre.

It's kinda disappointing that the parking garage is going to look way bigger than the actual airport.

As someone who went to pretty much all the GRFC games, housmane was full for the first 2 season, by the end we were lucky to get more than 2k people. I think a big stadium for USL will be overkill and kill any sort of atmosphere. I'd rather we sell out every game than have 10k empty seats

More than likely USL Championship which is a step below MLS. I don't think Grand Rapids is big enough to sustain an MLS team, not to mention there are so many other cities on the radar before we are even considered.

I like the development, I just hope the city plan ahead. They should look into turning summer ave and winter ave, just south of bridge st into pedestrian only streets. It would help with the flow of people from bridge street walking to the stadium and hopefully encourage more pedestrian friendly development in that area.

Its actually the remain of a skywalk that was taken down not too long ago. From my understanding it had not been used in years.

Looks like they just painted a crosswalk at the Michigan and Grand intersection, hopefully this is a sign that the road diet is starting soon.

Is it common for most biotech accelerator/ innovation hub to be close to city centers? I would imagine a lot of them are on the outskirts of major cities in campus like developments.

A lot of administrative staff live in Grand Rapids neighborhoods close to downtown. This will be a big transition for them.

I think the amount of traffic on Michigan Street is going to be a big incentive to keep staff off-site and shuttling in. The area can not support more cars, the new parking structure is needed for patients not staff.

I can assure you all SH employees are out and about for lunch. The ones that stay in the hospitals are more likely on the clinical side and on a time crunch. The jobs moving to Leffingwell are higher up and come with a level of flexibility. It will be a big adjustment for employees at Brassworks, Bridgwater and anyone else in located close to downtown.

This is actually a bigger issue than people think, and has definitely been talked about by people I know that will have to make the move.

Wish they tried to find some land downtown for this new building. But it seems SH is on a big cost cutting mission.

The last I heard was that Bombay was moving into the East West Brewing space and serving food for the brewery (weird mix) The old Bombay area is available.