Thursday, January 29, 2015

Louisville Minor League Baseball Stadium Modified For Professional Soccer Play


Here's another one of those stories the Indy Eleven and their propagandists in the Indianapolis media don't want you to read about as they set about to pick your pockets to the tune of nearly $100 million to build Ersal Ozdemir's minor league soccer team an extravagant, 18,500-seat stadium. Our neighbors to the south in Louisville are home to the USL Pro soccer team, Louisville City FC, which plays in a professional soccer league where team franchises draw crowds that rival Indy Eleven's North American MLS league. Guess where the Louisville City FC will be playing? How about the Louisville Bats Triple A Minor League baseball stadium. That's right. They're modifying Louisville Slugger Field, which seats a little over 13,000 fans:
Louisville Slugger Field is preparing for a new tenant.
The home of the Louisville Bats will become the home of the Louisville City FC soccer club beginning in March, meaning big changes at the 15 year old stadium.
The stadium’s grounds crew is preparing a special synthetic field turf that will cover the base paths during soccer games and is installing a mechanical mound that can be lowered with the push of a button. Groundskeepers say they aren't concerned about the field's Bermuda grass surface being torn up by soccer games but say they will keep a close eye on it.
The staff says they are working through full rehearsals of the changeover in the off-season and say it will all be done in less than 24 hours once the season starts.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This most recent corrupt proposed soccer deal for Ersal is one of a string of taxpayer financed giveaways making this Turk wealthier by the day.

I recall when this guy came out of nowhere to experience a meteoric rise as he used both Democrat and Republican politicos willing to be bought off via commissions and Lord knows what else on his various Ballard-pushed payola deals.

Why the hell Justice or Federal Attorneys are not probing this guy and those attached to him is just beyond reason... other than perhaps he is being protected and that protects the Dems and Repoobs.

Anonymous said...

I'm almost afraid to ask the question. Can victory field be adapted?

Gary R. Welsh said...

No question it could be adapted, but I assure you it would never be suitable to the Indy Eleven. I also doubt the Indians would want to share Victory Field with Indy Eleven.

Anonymous said...

Our outgoing failed mayor began touting the liberal "sustainability" mantra years ago but all the ex-soldier has created is decades of Marion County debt to sports teams and their owners that City taxpayers will bear for a long, long time.

Yes, Victory Field could be adapted but every wannabe sports magnate (read as Turkish Ozdemir) and actual [taxpayer-supported]
sports magnate billionaires and their teams would never allow such retro-adapting.

Anonymous said...

I read the City of Louisville is contributing just 581k towards modifications to the 15 year old stadium to accommodate soccer. And this jackass Ozdemir things we should pony up $82M! Mr. Welsh, I truly thank you for everything you do here in presenting folks with real investigative reporting, but your articles do one hell of a job of f***ing up my blood pressure.

Would EVERY sensible voter in Indiana PLEASE contact your state representatives and tell them we do NOT want this. Call. Write. Email. Whatever you do get off your butts and speak up! Mention these simple points:
- The Eleven have only existed for just one season; they are not a proven business
- $82M is far and above the average cost spent on any minor league soccer stadiums throughout the country
- The Eleven's first season included substantial ticket giveaways resulting in fictional sellouts of every game
- Attendance figures are far more rosy than other minor league soccer teams have seen in much bigger markets than Indy
- Ticket tax revenue will not come close to paying debt service on the proposed monstrosity.
Here's a question: If a user tax on tickets is all that's really needed to pay for the stadium, as the team claims, why doesn't the team just build the stadium themselves and cut big government out of the process? The answer is obvious: the math just doesn't work. This proposal is about more than just a stadium for Ozdemir's team - it's about him building the stadium, and a new neighborhood to surround it, with more taxpayer subsidies and collecting a 25% plus "developer fee" on everything.
But wait, it's economic development! It will generate (a few seasonal minimum wage) jobs! It will bring life back to some dilapidated downtown neighborhood! Why do you hate Indianapolis so much! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! - says cronies like MikeC.