Corona park

Mayor Bloomberg injected some more controversy into the question of where New York City’s Major League Soccer team will play on Sunday when he said on his weekly radio address that Yankee Stadium will be the new team’s home. The team was originally bound for Queens. A 13-acre site had been identified in Corona Park. However, open space advocates and others pushed back, leaving the location of the team and its 25,000 seat stadium in limbo. After the mayor’s show his spokesperson had to “clarify” that no decision had been made yet on where the team will play. Queens assemblyman and soccer fan Francisco Moya is not deterred. He still wants to find the team a home in the borough, despite the best efforts of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. to bring the team his borough. According to the Daily News the two have wagered meals over where the team will end up. Moya told the news, “The Bronx is a baseball town. Queens is a soccer town. I’m going to invite him [Diaz] to Queens to see the first game played after we build a stadium.” What do you think? Should there be a soccer stadium in Corona Park?

Bloomberg Heats up Bronx-Queens Rivalry for Major League Soccer Club, Stadium [NY Daily News]
New Soccer Team May Pass on Corona Park [Brownstoner]
The Yankees and Manchester City Want a New Stadium in Corona Park [Brownstoner]

Photo: ChrisGoldNY

 


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. If the greatest soccer player in the world, Pele, couldn’t bring enough fans to support a New York soccer team, why would a new team be successful? Most cities have found that building stadiums have been bad investments. And in this case, Bloomberg wants to sell the land for $! to a leader who believes that gays should be jailed or executed (they have been in his country). In addition, any park land taken away from Flushing Meadows would be replaced in another neighborhood.

    Remember the fuss that was made years ago when the Metropolitan Museum expanded a little into Central Park? So why should it be okay to take away a sizeable amount of Flushing Meadows?

    I fail to see how this could be of a financial benefit for our city as a whole or to our community.

  2. I agree, Queens is more a soccer borough than The Bronx will ever be. There are more Central and South Americans than in any other borough. Flushing Meadows Park is the only natural location for the team.

  3. Soccer is a natural fit for Queens. Just go to Flushing Meadow Park and you will only see people playing soccer. My gut tells me that Queens has a higher percentage of South Americans and Central Americans than any other borough, and by enlarge they are soccer fans. Soccer is also gaining popularity all types of demographics and in the suburbs. Long Island is right next door and access to the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridge is great from Flushing.

    I don’t get the opposition from local groups. FMP is a big park and it doesn’t count with the rich neighbors Central Park does. Therefore, it should welcome professional franchises and negotiate substantial annual dues that will help with the upkeep and improvement of the park. I would rather have a smaller park that looks great than a large one that looks rundown.