And I guess that’s about it for this morning … wait, what?!?
“We’re definitely going to have to get a new arena built,” [Phoenix Suns owner Robert] Sarver said. “Our lease runs for another eight years maybe. Between us and the city, we’ve done a good job maintaining it despite its age but it’s starting to run out of gas. It’s like a house. It gets to be 30 years old and then you’ve got a lot of work to do. You can remodel or build a new house.”
You know, when people started asking me, about ten years ago, whether the new stadium game was going to soon run its course, because every team would already have a new building, and I said, “Nah, then the first teams that got new venues will just circle around and get back on line,” I thought I was joking, at least a little bit. But the way things are going — the Suns’ current arena opened in 1992, if you’re counting — it seems like every sports owner in the country is treating 30 years as the maximum shelf life before they can demand a new building, except for those that are using an even shorter timeline.
For reference, teams whose stadiums will turn 30 over the next eight years include the Miami Dolphins, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah Jazz, with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks coming up right on their heels. The Dolphins are already renovating their stadium with public help, while the Bucks are angling for a whole new building; anyone care to guess which of the others on this list will be next to hop back on line?
Next thing you know, teams are gonna start counting the age of their venues in dog years.
Tropicana field (1990)
This is a joke. There is nothing wrong with US Airways Center and if there is, I’m sure it can be taken care of with some minor renovations as opposed to an entirely new facility.
Robert Sarver is the last of the bottom tier lousy owners in the NBA. The NBA has been fortunate to get rid of George Shinn, Donald Sterling, Chris Cohan, Bob Johnson, Ed Snyder, Karen Davidson, the Maloofs and a few others that I don’t know off the top of my head. It’s time to get rid of Sarver and get someone who understands the value of the current building.
Maybe have a talk with the people in Minnesota. Their building is 2 years older than the Phoenix building yet they are going the renovation route and nobody has a problem with it.
He might also notice that incredibly nice venue down the road that was built in 2003.
He might also notice that rather nice rink down the street that was built in 2003.
If I remember correctly, the White Sox asking for a new stadium will be a landmark for you, Neil.
Did I bet somebody on that or something? I’ve lost track…
Give the Suns a little credit, the Heat played at Miami Arena from 1988-99, and the original Hornets played at Charlotte Coliseum from ’88 to ’02.
Haven’t they already done renovations on New Comsikey/USCellular? Not sure how major the renovations were, but seems that New Comiskey was the last of the ultra-modern ballparks. The next one to get built was Camden Yards. Suddenly retro with ‘character’ was cool and the Sox were stuck with an expensive, impersonal, giant turd of a stadium. So they made some changes pretty early in the lifespan in an attempt to make it more fan friendly. It didn’t really work. It’s still a terrible ballpark.
Although I can’t wait to see where Reinsdorf threatens to move this time when he wants a new stadium. Florida won’t work any more. How about the Puerto Rico White Sox?
Hell, I bet the Kings ownership group is already back in line, and they can’t even sell the bonds for this one yet.
I didn’t take your comment as a joke. Seriously, I did not.
Philips Arena has to be next, you know how those Atlanta team owners need new stadiums by the time the current one reaches 20 years. I say atleast by 2020 Philips Arena will be “not new enough” anymore, and they’ll want a new arena.
“It gets to be 30 years old and then you’ve got a lot of work to do. You can remodel or build a new house.”
I sure hate it when you hold a thirtieth birthday party for your house, and then the next day you have to schedule the bulldozers so that you can knock it down and build a new one — it’s a big hassle, but whatcha gonna do, y’know? #problemsoftheonepercent
Detroit, they rather subsidize billionaire than pay their essential services. Red wings, tigers, etc.
Michael – Reinsdorf is an old man & he knows he’s already in the most profitable city available. He admitted he had no intention of ever actually moving to Florida.
As for New Comiskey, they basically renovated everything. Define “terrible stadium”.
I could see the next Sox owners demanding a new stadium sometime in the 2020s or 2030s either in the parking lot or somewhere in the suburbs. I just hope it looks exactly like Old Comiskey Park but with fewer seats.
mp34… Sure, after the fact he can say that. And even if it’s true, that means he certainly had no problem basically lying to get a new stadium, which I believe was 100% on the taxpayer dime.
The upper decks in that place go straight up and the lower decks go straight back. Seems no matter where you are you feel miles away from the field. Don’t like the Cell at all (it’s still USCellular, no?). I also can’t stand Hawk Harrelson, but that has nothing to do with why I don’t go to many games there.
Michael – of course Reinsdorf lied on the move threat. If you owned a team that was in 3rd largest market for almost 100 years, would you really move to some untested small market in Florida; especially if one of your college buddies was governor? As for funding, to quote ballparks.com: “Public financing: $167 million, or 100 percent, mostly from a 2 percent tax on hotels in Chicago”.
Yeah the upper deck is lousy, too steep & way too loud but there’s no reason to ever sit there. But walking around the place, it is much better than the all that electric blue & gray concrete that used to dominate New Comiskey. It’ll never be a classic but at least it’s clean, plenty of room & has great food. Hawk completely sucks but at least he’s finally cutting back on games next season.
The public stadium cash trough is deep and wide. If you’re a pro sports ownin’ billionaire who doesn’t have his snoot buried deep in that sucker at all times, well, I don’t know what to tell ya. Wise up and get on the gravy train!
Neil, I read your great book years ago, so maybe I’m confusing it with one of your later articles, but wasn’t the first chapter about the New MLB park for the White Sox?
The old new stadium? That was chapter 7.
Kevin: Indeed. I’d like some evidence that Mr. Sarver actually throws away his “old” houses at age 30. I bet he doesn’t.
MP34: Yeah. As a long time Cub fan, Steve Stone in the booth is a good thing. But Harrelson’s act was old more than two decades ago. Maybe he appeals to some, but from where I sit he’s keeping away more viewers than he’s bringing in…
spoiled spoiled spoiled that existing stadium still has as many game wins in it as the team has in it