Soccer Stadium

[warreng88]

This is in the "Soccer: NASL and USL professional leagues fighting over OKC" thread under sports, but because it is new construction, I thought it should have its own thread. Mods, feel free to delete it if you feel it is necessary.

Prodigal, ADG to build soccer stadium in Oklahoma City

BY RHIANNON WALKER, Staff Writer, rwalker@opubco.com • Published: July 16, 2013

Prodigal LLC announced today that it has formed a partnership with locally owned ADG, Inc. to design and build a soccer specific stadium in Oklahoma City to be the home of Prodigal's USL PRO franchise.

Beginning in Spring 2014, Prodigal will operate a USL PRO franchise in Oklahoma City. Several stadiums for game play for the first season are currently under consideration.

Prodigal and ADG are exploring multiple building sites for the stadium and are engaged in discussions about long-term strategy, location and design. Initial plans for the stadium call for it to seat 7,000, with the expansion capability of 20,000, which is the minimum size for a franchise to be considered to earn an expansion team in Major League Soccer (MLS).

“Part of the three-year long process to bring a USL PRO team to Oklahoma City was to explore the opportunity to build a soccer specific stadium in the metro area,” said Prodigal CEO Bob Funk Jr. “ADG has proven itself to be a company that can design and service award winning work. We look forward to working with ADG to design a stadium that can serve the needs of our USL PRO team, and also expand based on our long-term goal of bringing and MLS team to Oklahoma City.”

The firm designed the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, which is now in its 15th year of operation. Sports and recreation design work beyond the ballpark has included schools and churches throughout Central Oklahoma.

Founded in 1975, the firm has called Bricktown home since 1987—before the sports and entertainment district was established. ADG has a staff of more then 50 employees, including architects, interior designers, engineers and program managers.

Program management contracts include overseeing all the MAPS for Kids projects as well as the MAPS 3 program.

ADG provides design and program management services to clients throughout the country from its base in Oklahoma City. ADG is also responsible for the new Dean McGee Eye Institute at Oklahoma University Medical Center, Nonna's Ristorante, and projects at Saint Anthony Hospital, including Saints Medical Plaza, the east campus expansion and the twin beacons atop the ADG-designed surgery center.

Said Design Director and principal at ADG, Inc., Scott Dedmon: "We are privileged to be a part of this important project for Oklahoma City. When we designed the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark it set a new standard for Triple-A Baseball. We expect to do the same for USL PRO Soccer. This will be an exciting new sports venue for Oklahoma City and will express the growth of our city."

Prodigal LLC is a full service event management company based in Oklahoma City. Prodigal operates the Oklahoma City Barons professional hockey team, co-promotes Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

The company operates the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR), serves as the co-organizer for the March of Dimes Sports Headliner Banquet and produces the Bricktown 4th Fest and is a sales and marketing partner with All College and World Cup of Softball.

Prodigal is engaging the local community to assist in naming the team with an online contest at Prodigal. Tickets may be reserved by calling (405) 232-KICK.

Prodigal, ADG to build soccer stadium in Oklahoma City | News OK

[Pete]

So, where should it go?

How about along the River??

[warreng88]

So, where should it go?

How about along the River??

The river would be great. Buy the Pull-A-Part Auto yard and put it there? I think the fairgrounds is another possibility. Not my first choice, but I could see it there. Honestly, my preference would be to tear down the Body Works, McDonalds and the convenience store and put it across from Bass Pro in BT. That, combined with the new apartments north of there would be great bookends.

[AP]

So, where should it go?

How about along the River??

I think the river would be the perfect place for it.

[amaesquire]

I'm all for the river!

[wsucougz]

River.

[theparkman81]

I'm all for the river!

So am i, also maybe in Bricktown.

[Just the facts]

From perusing soccer stadiums around the world they tend to be located in or directly adjacent to neighborhoods where they literally become part of the neighborhood. I hope we can resist the default American conventional wisdom of putting it out on an island by itself with nothing around it but parking and/or open space.

I would build it in Midtown and let the neighborhood grow up around it.

[Pete]

I know this will be soccer-specific, but most the MLS stadiums are used for other sports and events.

Would be really nice for OKC to have a place to play HS state championship games and other things.

OKC really doesn't have a stadium other than the Ballpark.

[Just the facts]

I know this will be soccer-specific, but most the MLS stadiums are used for other sports and events.

Would be really nice for OKC to have a place to play HS state championship games and other things.

OKC really doesn't have a stadium other than the Ballpark.

Is that one of the reason for remodeling Taft Stadium?

[warreng88]

Would there be any interest in doing something like what FC Dallas did? Build a 20,000 person stadium with 17 tournament-grade fields around it.

http://www.fcdallasstadium.com/page/...dallas-stadium

I am curious if this is only going to be a private venture or if it will be public/private.

[Just the facts]

I vote a big NO to that idea.

[Pete]

That "Dallas" facility is in Frisco, and almost as close to the Oklahoma border as downtown Big D.

[adaniel]

That "Dallas" facility is in Frisco, and almost as close to the Oklahoma border as downtown Big D.

FC Dallas has also had some attendance problems, and I know the fields have been underutilized, but that was a few years ago.

Just curious as to how they will be funding this?

[Spartan]

Wow that's a press release if I ever saw one.

How will this be funded?

[Pete]

Of course, Funk Jr. / Prodigal own the Barons.

As what I hope is a good sign, Prodigal just signed a lease for expanded space downtown at 615 N. Hudson:

[CaptDave]

I still like this idea - this way our minor league hockey team will still have a downtown home when the Cox site is redeveloped. It also makes it a facility that is used year round making additional development around it more likely. Put this on the Pull A Part or Coop site and use it for high school, college, and pro games. Make it expandable to 25000 to make it viable for a future MLS franchise if we ever get to that point.

[Spartan]

I still like this idea - this way our minor league hockey team will still have a downtown home when the Cox site is redeveloped. It also makes it a facility that is used year round making additional development around it more likely. Put this on the Pull A Part or Coop site and use it for high school, college, and pro games. Make it expandable to 25000 to make it viable for a future MLS franchise if we ever get to that point.

I am still curious where the money for this will be coming..

[CaptDave]

I am still curious where the money for this will be coming..

Likely a public - private partnership with whomever wins the OKC Pro Soccer turf war. Timing might be such that the MAPS3 Convention Center is complete and redevelopment of the Cox CC site becomes desirable and a city priority which just happens to coincide with a MAPS4 slate of projects. Include this to replace the Cox Arena provide another major sporting venue. This is actually a viable project that will serve present and realistic future needs unlike a huge NFL stadium that will never be home to an NFL franchise.

[Kokopelli]

With all of the talk about Farmers Market be the next area of development perhaps this site would be viable.

[CaptDave]

With all of the talk about Farmers Market be the next area of development perhaps this site would be viable.

Interesting - hadn't thought of that honestly. I do not recall what is on that site now.

[Rover]

I am still curious where the money for this will be coming..

Funk has the money to build it himself if he wishes.

[G.Walker]

Producers Cooperative Oil Mill site...please!

[wdj]

With all of the talk about Farmers Market be the next area of development perhaps this site would be viable.

I love this idea!!!

[bradh]

Houston did it right when they built BBVA Compass Stadium for the Dynamo. Right on the other side of downtown, across US59 from the convention center, and right in the middle of the developing East Downtown area.