# How to build a successful Downtown Stadium



## JimB (Apr 7, 2005)

will101 said:


> Baseball fields should be laid out so that a person standing on home plate and facing second base is looking between due north and ENE. There are stadiums that do not adhere to that protocol, and are not popular with the players and fans. So when the available land is north of downtown, then you won't get a view of downtown.


Excellent response. Makes sense now. Thanks.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

Alemanniafan said:


> Well that depends on how you view it. The downtown of London or city center is of course a little away, still the city spreads out far and the current stadium at White Harte Lane as well as the planned new one have houses and shops all around the stadium right across the street. So even though the term downtown may not be perfect, its certainly still is a stadium in completely urban surrounding, thats why I figured to include it in the list.


Gotcha. Well, having a truly urban surrounding is something else than downtown in either the city centre sense or the original sense of central business district, but I see where you're coming from, as so many of the threads for Under Construction stadiums here on SSC show us pics of stadiums whose surroundings are trees, fields, some houses here and there... And if we're lucky to get a panorama we'll see the actual city somewhere in the distance. :lol:



flierfy said:


> White Hart Lane is a short walk away from Tottenham town centre. But then again does the Spurs ground reside there for more than a century. It can barely described as a new development therefore.


Interesting point. What percentage of Spurs' attendance consists, would you say, of people for whom the stadium is "central" and therefore in close distance? I ask that because looking over the White Hart Lane thread many fans there seem to be from overseas or have stories of going to their first game by taking more or less long trips.


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## Quintana (Dec 27, 2005)

Alemanniafan said:


> Yes most of the downtown stadia in Europe have indeed been rebuilt or redeveloped on sites of older previous stadia, yet there are plenty of modern downtown stadia in Europe, especially in The UK, Ireland, Netherlands and Belgium you'll find several modern downtown stadia, sometimes with a concept of a shoppingmall implemented into the stadium structure or surrounding.
> 
> The Aviva Stadium is very new and downtown, the *Amsterdam Arena* could also be considered fairly downtown, most stadia in London aren't really off city Limits either. The New White Harte Lane is also proposed as a true downtown stadium with houses all around close by, also the half finished New Mestalla in Valencia is very much downtown.


Amsterdam Arena certainly is not located fairly downtown. In fact, the borough it is located in (Amsterdam-Southeast) is an exclave separated from the rest of the city by two different municipalities (Diemen and Ouder-Amstel). Amsterdam Arena is pretty much as far removed from downtown Amsterdam as possible without being located in another city.


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## pregersthehobo (May 8, 2010)

JimB said:


> One question.....is there a good reason why the stadium was built with the main stands facing a featureless, low rise urban sprawl instead of facing downtown Denver?
> 
> Seems to me that a truly "successful" downtown stadium project wouldn't have made that basic mistake.


The main enterance to the stadium is directly behind home plate on Blake St and is easily accessible. The area that the main stands are facing is actually a railyard that is difficult to get in and out of.


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## will101 (Jan 16, 2011)

JimB said:


> Excellent response. Makes sense now. Thanks.


Glad to help.


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## ielag (Jan 13, 2013)

Downtown L.A. was a ghost town at night before Staples Center. Then L.A. Live was built, new apartments, more restaurants/bars in the area now.

Pre-L.A. Live










L.A. Live and the Ritz


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## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

In most European cities you vary rarely get large plots of land becoming available right next to the city centre. 

Even if they did, the expense of purchasing such a plot would be beyond most clubs. One exception was in Sunderland, where a disused colliery was on the opposite bank of the river from the city centre, making the new ground even closer than the old one, which was very close by.

For many smaller clubs, the cost of building the new stadium has to be largely financed by selling the old one, which necessitates building on cheaper, less desirable sites.


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## Leedsrule (Apr 6, 2010)

There are several exceptions in england, old industrial towns where the disused warehouses are knocked down and the land sold, usualy relitively cheap because demand for houses in those areas isnt great (In dying industrial towns) so clubs can build brand new, flat-pack stadiums near the city centre for relitively cheap.

Other examples include middlesborough, reading, bolton, manchester city to a degree, stoke city, ect...


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## JimB (Apr 7, 2005)

Leedsrule said:


> There are several exceptions in england, old industrial towns where the disused warehouses are knocked down and the land sold, usualy relitively cheap because demand for houses in those areas isnt great (In dying industrial towns) so clubs can build brand new, flat-pack stadiums near the city centre for relitively cheap.
> 
> Other examples include middlesborough, reading, bolton, manchester city to a degree, stoke city, ect...


I don't know about Bolton or Middlesbrough but The Madejski is on the edge of town, in an industrial park, next to the M4; the Britannia is on a kind of ring road, surrounded by light industrial units, storage and DIY warehouses etc; and the Etihad, while in a built up area, is in east Manchester and quite a distance from the city centre.

None of them could legitimately be described as "downtown" stadiums.


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## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

^^ Bolton's is like your description of Reading's, Jim.


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## Leedsrule (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah I was making a point to _In most European cities you vary rarely get large plots of land becoming available right next to the city centre. _

Europian cities, or english cities anyway, dont really have a 'downtown' like american cities do so you can't really compare them.


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## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

RMB2007 said:


> ^^ Bolton's is like your description of Reading's, Jim.


Reading's is by no means that far out of town (or indeed out of town at all, just not near the centre).

Bolton's place is in a completely different town, but then again, so is Grimsby's ground, and that's not new.




Leedsrule said:


> Yeah I was making a point to _In most European cities you vary rarely get large plots of land becoming available right next to the city centre. _
> 
> Europian cities, or english cities anyway, dont really have a 'downtown' like american cities do so you can't really compare them.


the USA possibly benefits from the imfamous "white flight" which left the areas around the city centres incredibly run down in a lot of places. If you look at somewhere like Detroit, for example, it's virtually deserted for a good half mile or so around the centre. It looks like very cheap land.

In contrast, even when centrally located factories shut in the uk, the land still commanded a high price.


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## JimB (Apr 7, 2005)

Rev Stickleback said:


> Reading's is by no means that far out of town (or indeed out of town at all, just not near the centre).


I don't think anyone suggested that the Madejski was out of town.

But it is most certainly on the very edge of town, in an industrial park and slap, bang next to the M4. It's a good couple of miles from the city centre.


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## bongo-anders (Oct 26, 2008)

Parken Stadium in Copenhagen is also what one would call a urban location even though its located next to a public park.
Its situated in the district of Østerbro in the northern part of Copenhagen Municipality.

There are many bars and restaurants located nearby and busses is also at hand and there are 4 train stations in max 20 minutes walking distance, one of them with intercity and commuter trains.

Also 3 new metro station opens at or near Parken in 2018.

Downtown Copenhagen is located 3-4 kilometers away and is best reached by Bus 15 and 1A or as people in Copenhagen do, on a bike.
The future metro line will connect Parken directly to the inner core of Copenhagen and the central station without any change.


The picture is taken towards the park (and with suburbs in the background so the picture doesn´t do it justice, the maps that i have linked to shows it better.

http://map.krak.dk/m/nnntI















I think its succesful, atleast the owner makes money on it.

Alot of concerts are taking place and it has hosted the Sensation events the last 5 years, it hosted more concerts after the moveable roof was added in 2001 (in time for the Eurovision Song Contest).

Besides the home games for FC København it host these events in 2013.


26th of March 2013	-	Denmark - Bulgaria
20th of April 2013 -	Justin Bieber	
14th of May 2013 -	Bruce Springsteen
18th of May 2013 -	Top Charlie	
6th of June 2013 -	Bon Jovi	
11th of June 2013	-	Denmark - Armenia
13th of June 2013	-	Depeche Mode	
29th of June 2013 Danish FIM Speedway Grand Prix	
22nd of July 2013 -	Robbie Williams	
23rd of July 2013 -	Robbie Williams
11th of August 2013	-	The Wall
28th of September 2013- European championship in volleyball	
29th of september 2013	-	European championship in volleyball	
11th of October 2013	-	Denmark - Italia 
15th of October 2013	-	Denmark - Malta 

The date for Sensation usually is announced in the summer months and held in October/november



The list of events over the years

Opening event	1992	
WC Boxing galla	1992	
Gary Moore 1992	
Klassisk Galla	1992	

Whitney Houston	1993	
Placido Domingo	1993	

Cup winners cup final Arsenal - Parma 1994
Pink Floyd 1994	

Rolling Stones	1995	
Rod Stewart	1995	

Tina Turner 1996	
Bryan Adams	1996	
DGI-afslutning	1996	
Byen synger (Kulturby '96)	1996	

Celine Dion 1997	
U2 1997	
Michael Jackson	1997	
Michael Jackson	1997	
WGD 1997	

Eros Ramazzotti	1998	
Elton John 1998	
Rolling Stones	1998	
Aida (opera)	1998	

Bruce Springsteen 1999
Brøndby IF - Bayern Múnchen	(CHL) 1999
Brøndby IF - Manchester United (CHL) 1999
Brøndby IF - FC Barcelona (CHL) 1999

UEFA Cup final Arsenal - Galatasaray 2000
Tina Turner	2000	
3 x big screen (euro 2000) 2000	

ESC	2001	
ESC	2001	
ESC	2001	
Red Hot Chili Peppers	2001	
Depeche Mode 2001	
Novo Nordisk company party 2001	
Superbrian vs. Tyson (boxing) 2001	

Santana 2002	
Elton John 2002	
Les Miserable 2002	
World Cup on big screens	2002	
Novo Nordisk company party	2002	
Royal Copenhagen Cup (tennis)	2002	

Paul McCartney	2003	
Bruce Springsteen	2003	
Rolling Stones 2003	
Robbie Williams 2003	
Speedway Grand Prix	2003	

Eric Clapton 2004	
Rock'n'Royal 2004	
Metallica 2004	
ZULU ROCKS 2004	
Simon & Garfunkel 2004	
Speedway Grand Prix	2004	
Novo Nordisk firmafest	2004	

Once Upon a Time	2005	
ZULU ROCKS 2005	
U2 2005	
Speedway Grand Prix	2005	
Novo Nordisk firmafest	2005	

Depeche Mode 2006	
ZULU ROCKS 2006	
Robbie Williams 2006	
Robbie Williams 2006
Mini ZULU ROCKS 2006	
Bruce Springsteen	2006	
George Michael 2006	
Messe: Det Gode Liv	2006	
Speedway Grand Prix	2006	
Novo Nordisk company party	2006	
Maradona 2006	
Kessler vs. Beyer (boxing)	2006	

ZULU ROCKS 2007	
Justin Timberlake 2007	
Rolling Stones 2007	
Mini ZULU ROCKS 2007	
Speedway Grand Prix 2007	
Tiësto "Elements of Life"	2007	
Novo Nordisk company party	2007	

Celine Dion 2008	
Bruce Springsteen 2008	
George Michael 2008	
Elton John 2008	
REM 2008	
Mini ZULU ROCKS 2008	
Speedway Grand Prix 2008	
Sensation Ocean Of White	2008	

AC/DC 2009	
Depeche Mode	2009	
Britney Spears	2009	
Madonna 2009	
Fleetwood Mac	2009	
Muse 2009	
TV2 Bavian Rock	2009	
LEGO World	(one week) 2009	
Sensation Wicked Wonderland 2009	
Dance 4 Climate Change 2009	

X Factor final	2010	
Monster Jam 2010
Monster Jam	2010	
Tiësto Kaleidoscope World Tour	2010	
Speedway Grand Prix 2010	
Stewie Wonder 2010	
P!nk og Nik & Jay 2010	
Bavian Rock 2010	
Sensation Celebrate Life 2010	

X Factor finale 2011	
Roger Waters: The Wall 2011	
Top Charlie 2011	
Danish championship (Handball)	2011	
Kessler The Comeback (boxing)	2011	
Speedway Grand Prix 2011	
Take That (2 shows was planned)	2011	
Sensation - Innnerspace 2011	

AG København - FC Barcelona (Handball) 2012
Top Charlie 2012 
Speedway Grand Prix 2012
Madonna 2012	
Coldplay	2012
LADY GAGA	2012
FC Nordsjælland - Chelsea (CHL) 2012
Kulturnat i PARKEN 2012
Nordsjælland - Juventus (CHL) 2012
Cirque du Soleil 2012
Cirque du Soleil 2012
Sensation - Source of Light 2012
FC Nordsjælland - Shaktar Donetsk	(CHL) 2012	

To this list there are missing all home games of FC København both domestic and Europa League/UEFA Cup and Champions League. 

Denmarks qualification matches and high profile matches, around 5 a year.
The yearly cup final is held in May.
The yearly school football (soccer) final is held in Parken. 


Brøndby has also played several "home" games in the 90´ties in the UEFA Cup, but i cant rember witch one it is.


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## Luigi742 (Apr 13, 2012)

Perth Arena, would be a better photo if it was taken from the other side, you'd see the city then.


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