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Kansas City:

Portland:

Mike from the always solid KC Wizards blog Down the Byline has some interesting and upsetting news about the new Wizards stadium capacity possibly being lowered yet again.

Why is it upsetting? Well if you’re a Wizards fan it has to be troubling to hear the stadium has gone from 20,000 when the first stadium site was considered to 19,000, to 18,500, to 18,000 and now down to possibly 16,500. (Big thing to keep in mind that number may not include stadium suites and the document that is linked on Down the Byline no longer works so we are taking this at his word now.)

In a way the number that is being tossed around here today isn’t all that terrible though. Even though it is upsetting to hear their capacity keeps lowering one has to wonder if the club really needs a 18-20,000 seat stadium anyways. Its not like they’ve exactly set the league on fire in terms of attendance in years past (though the argument there could be due to the two venues they’ve played in as well). But it does have to be upsetting to be promised a number and then it not be reached.

The question now becomes is 16,500 too small for a MLS club? Honestly it is but at this point beggars can’t be choosers huh? I’m curious to see if the number goes back up once the suites are included (if they weren’t already). I think if they can find a way to get the number back to at least 17,000-17,500 they’ll be fine and won’t face too much backlash for a “smaller” venue.

So what do you think? Will it be troubling if the capacity ends up being that 16,500 figure? Is that too small for a MLS club right now?

An article came out today in the KC Business Journal talking about the redevelopment of the 3 Trails area, which includes the construction of the Wizards stadium. Usually we welcome news about a potential stadium but this kind of news isn’t always good.

Due to the increase in construction costs recently and a poor economy in general, Lane4, OnGoal, and the other redevelopers are having to add to their request for state tax credits from $10 million to $30 million. It was originally believed that the only thing left was the approval of the Department of Economic Development (DED) to release the funding. But from what this article is talking about it appears that isn’t the case, as the DED won’t approve their end until this is sorted out, which won’t be until the middle of next month.

Should the board not approve the funding, the Wizards will go back to searching for a site. From what I’m reading out there it could be in a suburb outside of Kansas. Probably something most Wizards fans don’t want to see.

Most expected KC to get to work on their stadium back in June but a couple months later things are still floating in the air. Now before you all start the common chants of “move KC to St. Louis or Portland” consider what Bob Rusert from MLSnet wrote today on the subject. Rusert has quotes from people in the Wizards’ organization that downplay the Business Journal article.

A lot of people in KC are frustrated and for good reason. So which side are you on here? Think the project is doomed due to a poor economy or do you think that its just a slight snag that isn’t a big deal right now?