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Soccer Stadium Issue Draws Debate

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2009

The Tampa Tribune recently ran several stories about the owners of the Tampa Bay Rowdies seeking a rezoning from Hillsborough County to build a 5,000-seat soccer stadium in Town 'N Country and its subsequent denial by the county commission.

The proposed 8-acre stadium site was near the southwest corner of Waters Avenue and Benjamin Road. The owners wanted to have the stadium built in time for the team to start exhibition play later this year and join the United Soccer Leagues' First Division in 2010.

To see more comments or to post your own, go to carrollwood.tbo.com, keyword: rowdies stadium.

The soccer team is just a cover story for building a small-capacity venue where it would not otherwise be allowed. Look for bleeding edge shows that would not fill larger venues. It won't be pretty.

Posted by Sardonicus

This was a bad idea from the start. There are just too many options for sports fans in the Bay area. This team would be playing during the Devils Rays season and into the '09 Bucs season. Add USF football into the mix too. The Rowdies also forgot that they are playing in basically a second division with players' names you will never pronounce. It's possible that the guy from Argentina that cooked your lunch is playing that night for the Rowdies. Let's face it, these investors want a return. It was not going to come from soccer but from concerts, big truck rallies and more. Good luck, Rowdies. It was nice knowing you. ...

Posted by tampaace

Unfortunate turn of events today for the community at large. What is amazing about Twelve Oaks the neighborhood near the proposed site is a majority of the community at one point supported a thriving youth soccer club and the Rowdies. Today it missed the opportunity to bring jobs and prosperity to its community where houses sit vacant, foreclosed and businesses need traffic flow to stay open. A short-sighted few have protected the community way back when by adding speed humps to deter cut-through traffic. This plan allowed for police enforcement to keep this from happening and, as most know, a majority of traffic would empty to Waters Avenue to travel west and east, Anderson Road as a means to get south or to Veterans Expressway to cross the bridge. This community is old and struggling to survive. This could have provided much benefit had they been willing to see the broader picture. Wait until the businesses on Hanley Road and Waters start to close and sit empty so vandals and teens can create problems on the vacant commercial property. The occasional inconvenience pales in comparison to the overall benefits this project can bring to everyone in the community. This is a good plan and one that should be further explored by the residential and business community near this property.

Posted by bringsoccerback

Pathetic decision. I'm an unfortunate resident of Town 'N Country, and the place needs something badly! Also being a soccer fan this would be an awesome thing for the area. Tampa is a boring enough place as it is. We need more up our way. Having to drive over half an hour to get downtown or to St. Pete/Clearwater gets old after a while.

Posted by Magz

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