Off the Kuff: Other sports Archives

The Junior Olympics are coming

It's not the main event, but it's a nice catch anyway.

Houston has been selected to host the 2012 AAU Junior Olympic Games, the country's largest amateur sports event.

The Junior Olympics is the annual showcase event held each summer for the Amateur Athletic Union, and includes more than 15,000 participants in 20 sports, with its major focus on track and field competition.

With an estimated 30,000 spectators expected, the economic impact of the event is projected at $40 million.

This is the first time Houston has been selected to host the multisport event.

You already know how I feel about economic impact projections, so I'll just say that Houston has done a pretty good job of landing this kind of event in recent years. Whatever the economics of it, giving people a reason to come visit Houston for a few days strikes me as a good thing. Well done. Thanks to Laban Johnson for the link.

11/21/08 | permalink | comments [0]

Another Final Four for Houston

Looks like that trip to Indianapolis has paid off.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that Reliant Stadium will be the site of the 2016 men's basketball Final Four, setting the stage for the city to host one of the nation's premier sporting events twice during a six-year stretch.

The Final Four will be held April 2-4, 2016.

Houston already had been scheduled to host the South Regional in 2010 and the Final Four in 2011, which will mark the 40-year anniversary of the city's first Final Four in the Astrodome.

The other winning bids were for: New Orleans in 2012, Atlanta in 2013, the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington in 2014 and Indianapolis in 2015.

"We saw an example of what Houston has to offer during the 2008 South Regional and have every reason to think that their future events will be special," said Mike Slive, chairman of the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee.

Houston was competing against nine other cities or regions trying to land the event from 2012 through 2016. Bids from Detroit; Minneapolis; Phoenix/Glendale, Ariz.; San Antonio; and St. Louis were rejected.

"It was definitely not easy," said Shea Guinn, president of SMG-Reliant Park. "This is one of the premier sporting events in the entire world. The fact 10 cities were bidding is a testament to that. We were up against some tough competition."

Great news. Well done, y'all.

11/20/08 | permalink | comments [0]

The Dynamo Stadium rally

Dynamo fans have their say about the East End stadium plan and the need for Commissioners Court to get involved for the current financing plan to happen.

Houston East End Chamber of Commerce President Diane Lipton said it's important for the county to join the effort to revitalize the disadvantaged neighborhood.

Standing on the proposed site of the stadium, Lipton gestured at the abandoned industrial buildings and empty fields nearby and pledged the blight would be replaced by restaurants, clubs and thriving businesses if the project moves forward.

"The East End is ready for economic growth," added Hedy Wolpa, interim president of the Greater East End Management District. "An investment here in the East End will be a tremendous value to Houston."

Well, if the deal eventually falls through, you can't say it wasn't because the locals didn't want it. Whether this is enough to sway Commissioners Garcia and Lee, I couldn't say. But the more of this there is, the better the chances. While letters and phone calls are your best bet, the revised petition for the Dynamo is here.

Naturally, whenever this topic comes up, someone will say "What about the Astrodome?". That happens in the comments to that Houston Politics post as well as in today's letters to the editor. I've said plenty about why that's not going to happen, but let's just keep this one thing in mind: Between maintenance and debt service, the Astrodome costs Harris County something like a few hundred grand a year. The Dynamo would be doing the county a big favor by turning it from an albatross into something that would generate revenue. The only circumstance under which they would do that is if they got something sweet in return; a complete renovation of the Dome would be first on that list. It's simply not possible that the county could be on the hook for less money up front to foist the Dome on the Dynamo than they would be for the downtown stadium. If the county is going to have a stake in the Dynamo's stadium situation at all, the cheapest option by far is the TIRZ plan. I really don't know why this is so hard for some people to grasp.

11/14/08 | permalink | comments [1]

Dynamo Stadium and Commissioners Court

Harris County Commissioners Court, which is the last remaining obstacle to a deal to build a Dynamo Stadium downtown, remains lukewarm to the concept.

Harris County officials still showed little enthusiasm for the proposed Dynamo stadium Wednesday as supporters tried to up the pressure on Commissioners Court to join a deal that Houston Mayor Bill White said hinges on the county's participation.

Dynamo fans plan to gather at the proposed stadium site this morning for a news conference planned by the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and two other organizations. The project's supporters also were circulating an online petition directed at swaying Commissioners Court.

I'm not sure what petition they're referring to - there's this one that's linked off of HomeForTheDynamo.com, but like the site itself, it's rather out of date as its target is Mayor White and not Commissioners Garcia and Lee. Anyone know what they're using for this?

White asked Harris County in July to contribute $10 million to the project by joining the city's East Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone at the stadium's proposed site. He said Wednesday the fate of the project rests in the county's hands.

Asked what would happen if the county rejects the request, White replied, "That would really be up to the Dynamo."

[...]

If Harris County partners with Houston on the East Downtown TIRZ, each government would agree to forgo $10 million of its share of property taxes from the area to help pay for the stadium. Dynamo co-owner Anschutz Entertainment Group is willing to invest the other $60 million to build the $80 million stadium, team president/general manager Oliver Luck said.

Commissioners Court protocol dictates that formal proposals to participate in such projects must come from the commissioner whose precinct would be affected. The lion's share of the site is in Commissioner El Franco Lee's precinct, while a smaller portion is in Commissioner Sylvia Garcia's.

A member of Lee's staff said he was not granting interviews about the stadium Wednesday.

Garcia said she was reluctant to use tax dollars to build a stadium without voter approval.

"I will keep listening until I hear from the taxpayers that this is something they really want us to do," she said. "I'm going to keep doing my due diligence ... to assess what's best for the county post-Ike and in today's current economic climate."

That doesn't sound like a No to me, but it's a pretty long way from being a Yes. I'll say again, if you're a Dynamo fan and you want to see this happen, rallies and online petitions are nice, but nothing beats a letter and a phone call. If you're not sure whose precinct you live in, I found this map of Commissioner Garcia's Precinct 2, but that's all I could find. Try looking yourself up at HCVoter.net - Commissioner Lee's precinct is 1, and Garcia's is 2, then go here for contact info. It's either that or learn what Plan B is.

11/13/08 | permalink | comments [2]

One more for the Dynamo Stadium bandwagon

The Chron's Jerome Solomon picks up the Dynamo Stadium ball.

We are wise to be skeptical of claims about sports stadiums spurring economic development -- these stadiums seem to spur more growth of the owners' bank accounts than anything -- so don't buy that.

UH takes half the profits from parking and concessions for Dynamo games, and the Dynamo want the full $10 bucks from those Black Iguana Margarita sales. Capitalism.

It's a business, but there is nothing wrong with fans pushing to get what their team wants. It works in every other sport, and Dynamo ownership has offered to pay some 75 percent of the stadium cost.

A couple of organizations were at Robertson asking fans to sign petitions in support of a new stadium on the east side of downtown.

This sounds like a go, assuming the city gets assurances that HISD teams will be allowed access to the stadium for football and soccer and TSU gets a proper fit to use the stadium.

I think he's a little unclear about what the holdup is here - the city has made a commitment, but Commissioners Court has not - but he's on board anyway. I'll just note that if you agree with this sentiment, it's never a bad idea or a bad time to contact your elected representatives and let them know. Unless you really do want to know what Plan B is, of course.

11/12/08 | permalink | comments [0]

Still looking for more Final Fours

Back in January, a Houston delegation set out to lure more NCAA Men's Final Four events to our fair city. They're still working on it now.

Local organizers behind Houston's bid to bring another Final Four to Reliant Stadium will make their presentation [today] to the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee in Indianapolis.

Houston is one of 10 finalists vying to host a men's Final Four between 2012 and 2016. Houston is competing against Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Phoenix, St. Louis and the North Texas region. The NCAA decided to keep a larger pool of finalists and did not eliminate any cities after the preliminary rounds.

"There is a lot of tough competition," said Shea Guinn, the president of SMG-Reliant Park. "There is definitely no shortage of interested cities for the NCAA."

Houston is one of the newest players in the men's NCAA Tournament. It hosted the South Regional in March and will again in 2010. Reliant Stadium will host the Final Four in 2011, the 40th anniversary of the city's first Final Four at the Astrodome.

Guinn said Reliant Stadium has the ability to host any year during the next five-year cycle. But with the unlikelihood of getting another Final Four so close to 2011, Houston plans to make bids for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

After Tuesday's one-hour presentation, the NCAA is expected to make a decision on the host sites by Nov. 20.

I wish them better luck than they had for the Women's Final Four.

11/11/08 | permalink | comments [0]

And speaking of Dynamo Stadium

Oliver Luck says let's get on with it now that the election is over.

"It almost has to (happen soon)," Luck said Wednesday. "If it doesn't happen by the end of the year, it's the old saying: A no is bad, a slow no is even worse. If there is no resolution by the end of the year, we'll have to go to plan B, whatever that is."

[...]

Team co-owner Anschutz Entertainment Group has pledged to carry the brunt of the financing -- between $60 million and $80 million -- and Texas Southern University is willing to invest in the stadium in exchange for the rights to use it for football.

But at least one commissioner believes the county has no business in the negotiations.

"It's strictly a City of Houston deal," [County Commissioner Sylvia] Garcia said in a pre-recorded interview aired Wednesday night on 790 AM.

Garcia, who could not be reached for further comment, suggested a referendum to let voters decide if county tax dollars should be spent on the project.

Negotiations toward a soccer stadium have been under way since before AEG relocated the Dynamo from San Jose, Calif., in late 2005.

Team ownership and the city hoped to have a resolution by summer's end, but the economic crisis, Hurricane Ike and elections have further delayed action.
Window closing

"As I said at the city today, at the mayor's office, we have a window now up until the end of the year where we can get this thing done despite the economic challenges that exist in the marketplace," said Luck, who called the speed of negotiations "disappointing" but expressed confidence something could be worked out now that the elections are over.

I'm not convinced that there is a Plan B for the Dynamo at this point, not in this economic climate. I could be wrong about that, but I can't imagine there are too many cities waiting in line to lure a pro soccer team to their backyard with some kind of sweet stadium deal. Plan B may well have to be to ask the city to split the remaining difference and hope for the best.

I don't have a quarrel with putting this up for a vote, but if it's not the county's business, what difference would that make? I continue to believe that a Dynamo Stadium makes sense, and the price for the county is pretty modest, but if Commissioner Garcia sees it otherwise, it ain't gonna happen. In which case, we'll see what Plan B actually is.

11/07/08 | permalink | comments [1]

Hey, remember when we were gonna build a soccer stadium?

As I start to get back to blogging about things that don't involve campaigns or votes, here's a reminder from Chron soccer writer Glenn Davis that we're still waiting for some action on the mythical Dynamo Stadium.

So what is the holdup with the stadium in our diverse city?

Surely Hurricane Ike and the election have slowed things down.

The city of Houston and Mayor Bill White have done their job, having secured land by Minute Maid Park.

Now it is up to Harris County officials, including commissioners Sylvia Garcia and El Franco Lee, to not miss out on this golden opportunity by making a decision on a new midsized stadium that not only would benefit soccer but other sports and constituents in our community.

Still, the value of a stadium has been overlooked in this process by many outside the soccer community.

The county will decide on $10 million that is needed to get the ball in motion. A number that is only a fraction of the costs that went into other stadiums.

The issue was brought to Commissioners Court back in August. I've lost track of what deadlines, if any, may still be in play. I suppose the Dynamo are biding their time and either hoping for the best or exploring other options. Of which there may not be so many now, thanks to the lousy economy and tight credit market. Perhaps now that County Judge Ed Emmett has put his re-election behind him, he'll be willing to pay attention to stuff like this that presumably wasn't that high on his priority list before.

11/06/08 | permalink | comments [1]

Tell me what that big yellow thing in the sky is again

The Texans home opener will be played today with the roof open, under natural conditions. Apparently, that requires an explanation for people not used to such things.

The Texans insist they are ready to play their home opener Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, their third consecutive AFC South opponent.

The question is: Will the fans be ready, too?

Because of Hurricane Ike, the Texans will play eight home games with the roof open, beginning Sunday when there's supposed to be a clear sky and temperatures in the mid-80s.

"We urge all fans to check the temperature and please dress accordingly," said Shea Guinn, president of Reliant Park-SMG.

Somewhere, J. Fred Duckett is laughing his keester off. The accompanying "Outdoor Football 101" sidebar piece in the print edition was too precious for words - it boiled down to "The sun is hot, you will feel hot while the sun is shining on you, so drink lots of water". As someone who has spent more hot September afternoons than he can count in a wool/polyester uniform at Rice Stadium, all I can say is that it's a beauuuuuuuuuuuutiful day for outdoor football. Play ball!

10/05/08 | permalink | comments [0]

Clement to Dillard for the score

Congratulations to Rice's Chase Clement and Jarett Dillard, the most prolific scoring combination in NCAA history.

Rice senior receiver Jarett Dillard nearly remained stoic until the moment of truth. From the day he began fielding questions regarding the record he and classmate Chase Clement seemed destined to break, Dillard maintained a cavalier attitude toward the accomplishment that seemed unfathomable on the surface.

He flinched last week. As Rice began preparations for its penultimate non-conference game against North Texas, Dillard allowed himself a moment to discus the place in history he and Clement would share.

"For the first time Chase and I talked about the record in practice, maybe on Monday or Tuesday," Dillard said. "And we said we want this record to be over with because we want down the line (where people) can't ask any more questions about this record. It can be over with and we can get on with the football game."

No matter how hard they tried, Clement and Dillard could not make the game primary. On Saturday at Rice Stadium, they set a new NCAA standard for touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver tandem, punctuating the Owls' 77-20 demolition of North Texas with yet another remarkable display of collective brilliance.

Clement and Dillard combined for three touchdowns against the Mean Green (0-4), playing the central role in an offensive onslaught that produced a Conference USA single-game record for points. Their scoring exploits snapped the NCAA mark for combined touchdowns of 39 set by Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards (Louisiana Tech) in 1998 and matched by Colt Brennan and Davone Best (Hawaii) last season.

"I really didn't recognize it until our equipment manager Kelly (Riccardi) came to me and said, 'I'm going to send the ball to the College (Football) Hall of Fame,'" Dillard said. "I was just like, 'Wow!' Chase and I are from San Antonio, two guys under recruited who had one (scholarship) offer and we chose to come to Rice, and we have a football in the College (Football) Hall of Fame. That brought my jaw down. I was really in a state of shock."

They have at least seven more games to build on their record-breaking 41 touchdown passes, eight if Rice makes it to a bowl. Their accomplishment is even more impressive when you realize that they spent their freshman year in Ken Hatfield's pass-phobic triple option offense, and Clement missed a bunch of games to injury in 2006 when Dillard caught a total of 21 TD passes. I figure barring anything catastrophic, they'll easily surpass 50. However long they remain the standard, it's a heck of an accomplishment. Well done, guys.