Study: Lents baseball stadium would draw crummy crowds
The foes of a new minor league baseball stadium in Lents Park in southeast Portland today released what they say is a study just prepared for the city by consultant HVS. It concludes:
In 2008, overall attendance in Portland (392,512) was 18 percent less than the average of all AAA teams (481,181). HVS compared overall annual attendance in 2008 with attendance in suburban stadiums and in newly built stadiums (opened after 2000). Suburban stadiums drew 10 percent less attendance than the overall average. New stadiums drew nearly 30 percent more attendees. The implication for a new stadium at Lents Park is that due to its suburban location, attendance may not increase as much as other new stadiums in urban locations....If the Beavers will sell only 3,222 tickets per game in Lents, that is certainly far less than the attendance figures they themselves give for games at PGE Park. The team is reporting an average attendance of 4,398 for the season currently under way. As reported on this blog earlier this week, the custom in the minor leages is to report as "attendance" the number of tickets sold, according to league director Branch Rickey III.The projected game day paid attendance of 3,222 at the proposed Portland ballpark is significantly below both the AAA average of 6,683 or the average of the suburban ballparks of 5,996 for 2008, but these average estimates include unpaid attendance.
| Posted at 12:30 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (13)
It's maddening that we even need studies to reiterate what every Portlander already knows... building a dedicated stadium for AAA baseball out in Lents is INSANE. PGE Park is perfectly located right on the MAX line in a nice downtown setting, and nobody goes to games anyway. I love SE Portland, but there's no magical pixie dust out in Lents unless you're scoring the illegal variety.
Randy needs to wake up and tell Lord Paulson he can have MLS if he can make PGE Park work for both sports. Get real and grow a spine.
Posted by TKrueg | June 11, 2009 12:47 PM
Well, several things are clear (I won't go in to them all) but look at the aerial photos of similar stadiums. They have much, much more parking than 360 spaces.
My guess is the Leonard's latest promise of "only" 360 spots is a Trojan Horse to what will eventually be necessary -- MUCH more parking. Be careful, Lents.
Posted by PD | June 11, 2009 12:53 PM
Great point. Look at the parking in those aerial photos!
Posted by Jack Bog | June 11, 2009 12:58 PM
Yep, the parking space number is a total lie. Why would they think they could build any stadium with less parking spaces than my neighborhood Target? You know they'll "suddenly realize" later that they need a multi-story parking structure, which will cost 8.00 per hour to park and Merritt will not pay a dime to construct.
Posted by RANZ | June 11, 2009 1:39 PM
I'm still curious as to why Randy, TramSam, and the Paulson Posse hasn't done some sort of site study of a Delta Park venue.
Days ago, commenters on this blog bantied the idea of siting a ballpark where Portland Meadows now sits. To me, there's mucho room for parking, there is already mass transit (and Max just across the freeway), plus...it's a much shorter drive (and a bigger draw) for ball fans in Vantucky.
But, on second thought, all this would be way too logical for the devotees of the Lents siting.
___ora et labora___
-oregbear
Posted by oregbear | June 11, 2009 1:52 PM
I love the way things work in Portland City Hall. Every detail (and I mean everything) is a lie until the truth finally forces its way to the surface.
Posted by none | June 11, 2009 1:54 PM
When Roosevelt explained a little of the Manhattan Project to some senate Pooh-Bahs, the only question one had was "Where in Tennessee will you build this giant facility?" (locations not having previously been discussed). Thus, Oak Ridge.
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | June 11, 2009 1:57 PM
They also write:
Parking limitation in the urban core of a large city such as Portland can discourage customers who would like to drive to a game. Often a suburban location can offer better parking facilities due to a greater availability of land, which can help to compensate for longer driving times. The development of
sufficient parking at the proposed ballpark location would be a critical factor in the financial success of the park.
As others have said, wait for this thing to be approved, and Randy will suddenly realize they need waaaaaaaay more parking for this to work.
Posted by Dave J. | June 11, 2009 2:06 PM
Just wait for the Towering Infernal of a Paulson-Portland Parking Plex to be revealed in some pince nez'd planner's pastel-colored public power point presentation, complete with a sacreligious Aaron Copeland soundtrack and the usual pre-paid phony cadre of politely enthusiastic front-and-back-row applausers.
Lents is being sold up the creek.
Posted by Mojo | June 11, 2009 2:26 PM
jack-
if facts and empirical data were relevant to this stadium issue, it would have never gotten this far.
it is pure speculation on both sides. will it be a success? possibly, but i, along with you, think highly unlikely.
i just can't believe you are continually surprised that the paulson camp spins the numbers to justify their speculation.
Posted by doug | June 11, 2009 2:29 PM
Randy, and others like him are idiots for even considering this plan. People aren't going to ride the stinking bus to SE Portland to watch a baseball game. I'll admit that people will ride the subway to a Yankee game but that is a little different. No frigging way are people going to pull the Lexus out of their driveway in Lake O to drive over to Lents to park on the street.
Hey Randy, common sense is knocking, open the door for once and pay attention.
Posted by andy | June 11, 2009 2:31 PM
i just can't believe you are continually surprised
Me, neither. Because I'm not. What made you think I was?
Posted by Jack Bog | June 11, 2009 2:32 PM
You guys need to stop threatening Randy. It won't work. You'd be better off saying nothing at all.
LOL!
Posted by Jim | June 11, 2009 3:57 PM