Spring Break
Facility deal in works
Mark Powell
Issue date: 1/24/07 Section: News
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San Jose State University, the city of San Jose, and Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolffe are in the preliminary stages of planning to build a facility that would house Spartan athletics and a new Major League Soccer team.
SJSU would provide the land for the stadium site on South 10th Street and East Alma Avenue, across from the current Spartan Stadium, and Wolffe would fund the project, said university spokesperson Pat Harris.
Although some believe that the stadium could be completed as soon as 2009, there is no official timetable for the project as of yet, Harris said.
"Building sports facilities is a very complex and difficult path," said Paul Krutko, San Jose's economic development director.
Krutko said Wolffe will look to use a zoning change on property to help pay for the stadium costs. Zoning establishes a value for property based on its use and others will buy such property for specific uses, Krutko said.
Wolffe will propose a plan to city staff members to increase the value of a piece of industrial land in Silicon Valley by altering it into residential land, which he would then sell to help fund costs for the new stadium project.
"(Wolffe) is the person that can bring soccer back to the Bay Area," Krutko said. "We're really happy to know that there are conversations going on."
The new soccer franchise would retain the Earthquakes nickname it held from 2000-2005 after four seasons as the San Jose Clash. The Earthquakes played at Spartan Stadium and won the MLS Cup title in 2001 and 2003.
The team moved to Houston in 2006 to become the Houston Dynamo and won the 2006 league championship, according to the official website.
As enticing as it may be to bring Major League Soccer back to San Jose, the thought of a new stadium for a revived Spartan football program has also garnered considerable attention around SJSU.
"The prospect of a new stadium is very exciting and appealing to our fans," said Tom Hastings, associate athletic director for media relations.
SJSU would provide the land for the stadium site on South 10th Street and East Alma Avenue, across from the current Spartan Stadium, and Wolffe would fund the project, said university spokesperson Pat Harris.
Although some believe that the stadium could be completed as soon as 2009, there is no official timetable for the project as of yet, Harris said.
"Building sports facilities is a very complex and difficult path," said Paul Krutko, San Jose's economic development director.
Krutko said Wolffe will look to use a zoning change on property to help pay for the stadium costs. Zoning establishes a value for property based on its use and others will buy such property for specific uses, Krutko said.
Wolffe will propose a plan to city staff members to increase the value of a piece of industrial land in Silicon Valley by altering it into residential land, which he would then sell to help fund costs for the new stadium project.
"(Wolffe) is the person that can bring soccer back to the Bay Area," Krutko said. "We're really happy to know that there are conversations going on."
The new soccer franchise would retain the Earthquakes nickname it held from 2000-2005 after four seasons as the San Jose Clash. The Earthquakes played at Spartan Stadium and won the MLS Cup title in 2001 and 2003.
The team moved to Houston in 2006 to become the Houston Dynamo and won the 2006 league championship, according to the official website.
As enticing as it may be to bring Major League Soccer back to San Jose, the thought of a new stadium for a revived Spartan football program has also garnered considerable attention around SJSU.
"The prospect of a new stadium is very exciting and appealing to our fans," said Tom Hastings, associate athletic director for media relations.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jacob Wang
posted 1/24/07 @ 4:51 PM PST
The current stadium has been around for 75 years?? Wow! I agree that the new stadium should seat AT LEAST 35k, if not 50k!
andrew.venegas
Andrew Venegas
posted 1/26/07 @ 11:38 AM PST
I'll be interested to see where these talks lead, and even more interested to see where the rest of the money that would build the stadium comes from. (Continued…)
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