Thursday, July 21, 2011

Dodger Stadium Downtown "Isn't Logical", Claims AEG

Neeebs, this is for you.

Despite internet rumors abounding that the Dodgers might move downtown to a new stadium, Staples center owner AEG said that plans for a new MLB stadium in downtown LA just doesn't meet basic logic:

LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball has not reached out to AEG about building a downtown stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite Internet reports, AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke said Wednesday.

AEG owns the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles and has proposed building an NFL stadium near the site.

"Under no circumstances are we interested in building a baseball stadium," Leiweke said. "If you logically just think through playing baseball games in April, May and June when we have Lakers, Clippers and Kings playoff games that are scheduled on a week's notice. Look at the conflict that would be created during that time. If you logically think through baseball playoff games which are scheduled on a week's notice and we have Kings, Lakers and Clippers beginning their season, it doesn't work."

Well the Clippers are never going to make the playoffs, so we can rule them out. But let's test this "logic" by considering the plans of other cities who wouldn't dare co-locate baseball stadiums with other arenas, right? So that must include:

Pittsburgh:

Philadelphia:

Oakland:

And I'm sure there are others I'm missing. Look, I don't want the Dodgers to move from Chavez Ravine, and I will concede that unlike these three examples, Los Angeles' downtown has other major buildings and businesses, and traffic might be snarled. But come on, you can't deny that a downtown stadium for the Dodgers *could* work, if you really wanted it to work. (Which is different from saying it *should* work, but still.)

20 comments:

Pride of Dong said...

I like the drive up the hill, I like the park, I only hate that dangerous exit on the 5 where you have to dive over two lanes to get off and it's also an on ramp and people don't let you in...

Otherwise, nothing is better than going to the top of the park and seeing downtown, the hollywood sign, and the mountains with snow, all in one 360 spin!

Fred's Brim said...

It'd be a problem if people still went to Dodger games

Fred's Brim said...

Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums in Kansas City are another good example of this

Fred's Brim said...

Safeco and Qwest in Seattle do a decent job of being near downtown. Fuck getting caught in Sounders traffic though

fostermatt said...

Coors and Invesco are pretty close together in Denver too.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

US Airways and Chase in Phoenix.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Also, Jobing.com and UofPhoenix are right next to each other in Glendale.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

As you can see, I've done my due diligence.

Nostradamus said...

Baltimore, Detroit, and Cincinnati, while we're at it.

Nostradamus said...

The biggest problem at the ravine is that there are really only 3 access points, which fucks the traffic volume royally. It's not like it's light-years away from downtown.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Logic says that a Downtown stadium would solve the parking fiasco, because there are many parking options and better public transportation connections (Red Line, Blue Line)

cc: Mr. C

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I think Dodger Stadium's days are numbered.

There I said it.

Blasphemy!

But really, nostalgia only goes so far.

Nostradamus said...

@Neeebs

Nothing lasts forever, this is true. However, as a transit dork, I'm not willing to concede the point that the AMOUNT of parking is insufficient, but the fact that the only real ways to get in and out are the 5, 110, and Sunset. Were there more through-connections back to downtown (or, say, a Gold Line spur that ran on game days) nothing would be fucked here, dude.

Pride of Dong said...

@Mr. Customer

It's only feels far if you take the metro line to the game!

ctrosecrans said...

kansas city, as well

Neeebs (The Original) said...

@MC:

"Parking fiasco" i.e. the cluster fuck. I think we're talking about the same thing.

The forum had a similar problem, albeit on a smaller scale. I've never had problems getting into or out of a parking lot for a Staples center event. (I know, 18,000 vs. 45,000)

spank said...

I'll be damned if the Dodgers move out of Dodger Stadium. I need this to soothe myself against the Fenways and Wrigleys. Fuck that. I'll go all Suge Knight on McCourt if I have to.

Nostradamus said...

@CVF

You'd never know it, since there's absolutely no direct route, but the Chinatown station is almost the exact same distance from the stadium as the furthest overflow lots. It's not beyond the realm of possibility, it just disagrees with our boy Frank's decimated bank accounts.

Nostradamus said...

^MTA's own Captain Ahab.^

rbnlaw said...

Here in Anaheim, we gots us a stadium right next to a pond that is now an arena. Problems, sometimes; but mainly when they let U2 play concerts. Keep those guys out, and all is well.