New arena seen at current spot

Would anyone notice if the Blast or the circus weren't around for 3 years? I certainly wouldn't. Tear it down & build a new arena worth going to!

Hale's Canton notion is worth consideration. The same site notion is, well, just another failure in business logic. People don't like the present location, why resurrect the Civic Center in the same spot? Horrible location, horrible design, just really wonderful folks manning the concession stands (gawd!), urine stenched garages and stairwells, etc. Some of my worst experiences in Baltimore were at that building. Move it, get it away from downtown or I won't go.

Breaking news: Ed Hale throws temper tantrum, threatens to move the Blast to Western Maryland.

With all the vacant and underutilzied land near the 2 stadiums, one has to wonder why Mayor Dixon wants to put the new arena in the same spot as theold one. I'd check the contracts to see what connections she has. Sister, old boyfriedn, new boyfriend. Smells fishy.

Sheila Dixon is too stupid to be making decisions like this.

Paul, I agree 100%.

We don't have the money or resources for an arena right now.

MDR wrote:

Hale's Canton notion is worth consideration. The same site notion is, well, just another failure in business logic. People don't like the present location, why resurrect the Civic Center in the same spot? Horrible location, horrible design, just really wonderful folks manning the concession stands (gawd!), urine stenched garages and stairwells, etc. Some of my worst experiences in Baltimore were at that building. Move it, get it away from downtown or I won't go.

I totally agree, myself and many others just won't go downtown. The arena will die out again, no big name events will come here. I feel safer driving the extra miles down to the MCI Arena. Moving it out near the Beltway or I-95 for convenience would be better.

Paul,

You couldn't have said it better -

Sheila Dixon IS too stupid to be making decisions like this.

Maybe someone gave her a fur coat?

It would be a major mistake if they built the new arena on the same location as the old one. Listen to Hale and build in Canton, easily accessible from I95 and can come up with new design and new reputation.

The BDC, O'Malley, Dixon? May as well be the Mafia making decisions like this. Sounds like this was railroaded right from the start.
Right now the only thing going into that arena is Moto-Cross, Tractor Pulls, The Circus, The Blast and a handful of concerts. Now: NOTHING for 3-years.

What an idiotic decision made by a corrupt bunch of Bovine Brained Nit-Wits.

No one wants to go to YOUR REVAMPED West Side! Do you know why? Because everywhere you go in this sewer, you run the risk of being shot and killed, especially on YOUR NEW and REVAMPED WEST SIDE!

Baltimore Crime & Politics
"Get in on it"

The new arena should be built on the site of the current one. The site is on the light rail line, two blocks from Camden Yards and the Convention Center, and a short walk from the Inner Harbor. If the current arena is making a profit with what’s there now and the location it’s in, then imagine how much profit a new, larger arena have make at the same place.

The arena should have the same seating capacity at the Verizon Center and the Wachovia Center in Philly. If cities with less people than Baltimore (Kansas City, Omaha, Oklahoma City,) can build first-class arenas, so can Baltimore. No excuses.

I don’t think many people will miss the Blast for three years, if at all. Indoor Soccer is a minor league sport and contributes to the perception that some people have of Baltimore being a minor-league city.

I for one can testify that there are a lot of kids in this town that will most definitely miss the Blast! They are the only decent team this town has and no one even realizes. And what they give back to the kids and the community is worth more than money. Ed Hale knows that. Canton is a great idea!

I still think they should still build the new arena in Gateway South, or near Ravens Stadium, and about 19,000-19,750 seats.

Now, if they built a "makeshift facility" (a la Sacramento in the 1980s when they got the Kings) and built it in the city for a few years, so when the arena is built on it's current site is bigger than ever, I understand.

What a bunch of Clowns.

In order for the city to build a new arena is the same place as the old one, they would truly have to show a dedication to reviving West Baltimore and downtown as a whole.

Even such an act would be sad, because it would show that they are only doing it for the basketball team and wouldn't be doing it without that prospect.