More Dynamo Stadium Dreaming

All this hullabaloo about the stadium has got me to thinking: once we get a stadium, what do we want it to look like? What are the qualities of a good stadium? What do I want to see in the Home of the Dynamo?

Here's what I want.

First, I want Dynamo Stadium to be a soccer-specific stadium (SSS, or, as they're called in England and elsewhere where soccer is the primary sport, "stadium"). There aren't too many SSSs in the US nor even in the MLS. The Home Depot Center? It's a soccer-when-it's-convenient stadium (SWICS). Last summer I drove past the HDC and the field was covered with mounds of dirt and curvilinear superstructures for the X-games. The field took some time to recover from that affair. And remember during SuperLiga when the Galaxy had to limit the number of tickets it sold for its game, which was scheduled on a school night for the landlord, Cal State Dominguez Hills? And then there's the SWICS in Frisco, where a concrete stage takes up the entire space behind one goal line. (Can't they put bleachers on the stage during game day?) Dynamo Field will surely host its share of concerts and non-soccer events, but it would be nice if those would be secondary to the primary use of the facility: soccer. In fact, if the ancillary events could be limited to sporting events, there might be less wear and tear on the field. I want the pitch to look like a pristine park on every game day.

And speaking of the pristine pitch; the field is perhaps the most important component of the stadium. Soccer is much like baseball in that variations in the field composition and even dimensions can affect gameplay, hopefully to the benefit of the home team. The field must be natural grass, foremost. I also prefer a much larger pitch, like the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, which boasts the largest field in the MLS at 120x80 yards. This wide field actually plays to the Dynamo's strengths as a flank-attacking team (and minimizes their weakness: finding room to pry open bunkered defenses). The Dynamo's field at The Rob is one of the smallest fields at 115x70 yards -- dimensions that actually work against the Dynamo's strengths in my mind. The mile-high DSG Park also has excellent drainage. Last year Dynamo Houston played in a freezing deluge, and the field stood up very nicely. We need that with the monsoons we sometimes get here in the Bayou City.

Seating should surround the field. I've already condemned the concrete stages that take up half of some stadia. There shouldn't be any place where opposing keepers can relax and feel they're out of the spotlight. Seats should surround the field and come as close to the field as possible, much like at The Rob. I differ from many fans in that I do want actual seats to sit in, but it would be nice to have bleachers at the end lines, or at least along the end line where the Texian Army and El Batallon sit stand. The seats should be orange (for television purposes) and on tiered concrete, although having the supporters on metal bleachers would ensure their percussive stomping thunders throughout the stadium.

The stands need a roof above to shield the sun, divert the rain, and trap the noise. While a retractable would be nice (and maybe I should throw that in since this is just a wish list anyway), I'm completely fine with the partial roofs you see at the HDC and DSG Park. I would consider something like that to be a necessity.

I also like the way that the Rapids' stadium's roof has the added quality of being a design feature that reflects its environment. The DSG roof is slanted and tiered like the rising slabs of rock of the nearby Rocky Mountains. In Chicago/Bridgeview, Toyota Park has brick tied to its exterior (though I don't think it's to be found inside the stadium anywhere) which makes the stadium feel like it belongs among the brick buildings of that area. I think that's called idiomatic design. Likewise, I want the Dynamo's home to look unique and reflect the character of Houston. It shouldn't be a soulless metal structure like in Columbus or a featureless hole in the ground like in Frisco. Material should be stucco, to reflect the coastal style, or limestone and beams, to bring in a more "hill country" flair. The Rob has palm trees and hedges inside the stadium (where they are enjoyed while watching a game, not just when walking up to the ticket counter), and similar flora would add to the park-like setting established by that pristine green pitch. I'd like Dynamo Stadium to be more than a place to play soccer. It should be a visual enhancement to the downtown area, a timeless edifice that will be appreciated for years to come. It should be as appealing on the interior as the exterior, with the team adding to the atmosphere with its energy and a few championship banners fluttering around.

A highly visible niche should be created for El Capitan. We'll have it often, and we need to display it whenever the Frisco team comes to town. It should also be fired whenever we score or win versus FCD, much like what UT does with "Smokey the Cannon."

I'd like some vendors beyond the usual hotdog fare. BBQ, fajitas, and maybe even Christian's Burgers (!) should be represented, sure; but I'm more interested in getting some beer selections that extend beyond Bud and Miller. The Home Depot Center, to its credit, has a booth selling Guinness, Harps, and Smithwick's for only $2 more than the usual stadium swill. Shiner would be a good start and St. Arnold's would be a great addition to the tap line.

It looks like Downtown is the likeliest location for Dynamo Stadium, and that would be best for all concerned: fans, team, front office, the city, everyone. Centralized for easier access, near the activity of downtown, and actually in the city it's named for. Add a light rail line and it's like you're living in Europe. Almost.

Finally, and this is at the bottom of the list, but how nice would it be for the stadium to reflect the name of the Dynamo or a feature of Texas or Houston, rather than just being a bland name of a corporation that evokes no images of soccer or of the town whatsoever. (Okay, Enron Field was connected to Houston, and that just furthers my argument.) I realize that this is just pie in the sky dreaming, because naming rights are one of the ways sport franchises make money, and they don't want to cut off that revenue stream (and particularly not if "they" is "AEG") for mere sentimentality. Heck, what's in a name anyway? Nevertheless, it would be nice for the stadium to be named in way that integrates it into the city rather than making it a fancy billboard for commuters on US 59.

This has been therapeutic. Now about that St. Arnold's...

Post script: Here's an article in Forbes regarding "Super-Stadiums." It includes some beauties. On the soccer side, that Red Bulls Park looks nice.