February 21, 2007
Gus Wortham: Still for golf

Looks like the golf-or-soccer conundrum regarding the Gus Wortham golf course has been resolved in favor of the fairways.


Mayor Bill White on Tuesday all but ruled out use of the Gus Wortham Golf Course on Houston's East End as the site for a new soccer complex.

"I'm not going to support something over the strong objection of the council member from that district, period," White said after Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, who represents the East End, said the golf course is not the right place for the soccer facility.

[...]

Several council members said they are committed to supporting youth soccer and keeping the Dynamo in Houston but suggested the city look for another site. They said the Wortham course is historically significant and provides much-needed green space and wildlife habitat.

White said other sites are under consideration.

But finding a suitable site inside the city, he said, will be a challenge.

High costs likely will compel the city to find a publicly owned site, White said, and some properties suggested by council members might require costly environmental remediation. Though it's unlikely a large-enough site could be found for a new stadium as well as the youth complex, White said, the locations should be reasonably close together and perhaps linked by transit.

Asked by Alvarado whether the Wortham golf course was "off the table" as a site for the soccer fields, White repeated his earlier statement that he would not support it over strong opposition from the community and the district council member.


As I said before, I've got no dog in this fight. I'm not really sure what the best solution is, and while I'd rather any snazzy new soccer complex be built here in the city, there's only so much I'm willing to pay for such a thing. We'll see where it goes from here. Houstonist has more.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 21, 2007 to Other sports
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