DelcoTimes (http://tinyurl.com/2penq9)
QuoteShopping for the future
Comcast-Spectacor looking into possibilities of developing entertainment complex in South Philadelphia.
By Anthony J. SanFilippo asanfilippo@delcotimes.com
PHILADELPHIA — Comcast-Spectacor is on the verge of announcing a plan to develop a multi-million dollar entertainment complex in South Philadelphia that could eventually lead to the demolition of the Wachovia Spectrum, the Daily Times has learned.
The Baltimore-based Cordish Company, a real estate development giant, has offered several proposals to Comcast-Spectacor that are still being considered.
The most attractive proposal would result in a complex called "Philly Live!" which would incorporate land development for such ventures as restaurants, retail shops, condominiums, small music venues, a movie theatre and other entertainment outlets in and around the stadium area.
According to one source close to the negotiations, a public announcement is expected before the end of January.
Comcast-Spectacor President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Luukko confirmed that discussions are ongoing and that several plans for the new development are being considered.
Comcast has worked through a "series of proposals" with this development project, Luukko said.
"We've had discussions with Cordish to look at some development proposals and they're still ongoing," he said.
Luukko would not comment on the possible demolition of the Spectrum, but said part of the proposal discussions did include the Spectrum site. Luukko stressed nothing had been finalized or decided with the proposals involving the Spectrum.
According to a Philadelphia business community source, one of the Cordish proposals would include the construction of an ultra-chic W hotel, owned by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Inc., which would be built where the Spectrum currently sits.
Comcast-Spectacor is mulling over that proposal while it decides whether a hotel or the 42-year-old Spectrum would be a more viable source of revenue for the company.
That analysis would also include determining if Comcast would rather continue to house the American Hockey League's Phantoms and the Major Indoor Soccer League's Kixx, or find a new home for both.
Comcast-Spectacor owns the Phantoms, but does not own the Kixx. All other events would be absorbed by the Wachovia Center. The Spectrum currently averages about 125 event dates per calendar year.
The Kixx and other MISL teams have struggled to hook on as a popular sports entertainment option in various U.S. markets.
Conversely, the Phantoms, with a history of sold-out games and two Calder Cup championships on their corporate resume, could be considered an attractive commodity for several markets in the region, including Trenton, N.J., and Atlantic City, N.J.
Comcast-Spectacor officials have not indicated whether they were pursuing such options.
Nevertheless, the belief is that a development of this nature would be a boon not only to the city, but anyone who ventures into the stadium vicinity.
"With the new ballparks and the fact that there's more housing down here, the landscape has changed," said Luukko. "And we feel there's a need for a project like this not only for our fans, but for the community around us with restaurants, retail and a fun place to go both day and night."
During construction of the Wachovia Center in 1996, Comcast-Spectacor struck a deal with the City of Philadelphia for exclusive negotiating rights for corporate land development at the stadium multiplex.
The deal gave Comcast a window of 20 years to develop a 300,000-square foot parcel of land that includes the Spectrum site.
It's believed the project has been reviewed by officials from the Phillies and Eagles, and members of the city's political community have also been briefed, with one prominent politician apparently liking what he saw.
"He saw a brief presentation from Comcast-Spectacor and that's been the extent of his involvement," said Gary Tuma, a spokesman for State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo. "He said it looked nice."
Tuma said Fumo didn't have a "blanket opinion" about what should or shouldn't be done with the property, but that it would depend on what the final proposal might be.
A message left with a spokesman for Philadelphia City Council chairwoman Anna Verna, who represents the district in and around the stadium complex area, was not returned.
Newly minted Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and U.S. Congressman Robert Brady also couldn't be reached.
The Cordish Company is one of the leading development firms for this particular brand of commercial endeavor and has built similar projects in other cities, including "Power Plant Live!" in Baltimore's Inner Harbor area; "Fourth Street Live" in Louisville, Ky.; "Daytona Live!" outside Daytona Motor Speedway in Daytona, Fla. And "Paradise Live!" and the Seminole Hard Rock Café Casino in Tampa, Fla.
The company is also involved in constructing "Woodbine Live!" at Woodbine racetrack in Toronto and "Ballpark Village" in St. Louis. While the cost of these projects vary from an estimated $35 million in Baltimore to $750 million in Toronto, the Comcast-Spectacor project, with a hotel, could eclipse the $100 million plateau.
A message left for a Cordish spokeswoman went unreturned.
Cordish has also developed several other shopping-based projects that include, "The Walk" in Atlantic City, "The Boulevard at Capital Centre" in Landover, Md. and the factory outlets in Ocean City, Md.
farg that. Talk about comcast ruining a legend
Well, conversely, that area needs something like that. Most sports complex areas in the country have night life type spots close so there are other things to do after the games other than sit in traffic.
that area has that...it's called the tailgate of my truck with a cooler
Putting the Phantoms in AC would be dope. Gambling and minor league hockey go together like lamb & tuna fish.
i know its inevitable but that would make me more sad than the vet going down...i grew up at that place
Wasn't there similar talk about a shopping/nightlife area when the Linc and/or CBP were in the planning stage? I'm beginning to think that such talk is just used for pulling the wool over the public eye.
I'd be sad to see the Spectrum go, but it is getting a bit long in the tooth.
That being said, if they think the Phantoms will get the draw in Jersey that they get in Philly, they are nuts. It would make more sense to move them to the 'burbs somewhere. Maybe even Allentown.
Souderton
Only Romes go to Souderton.
yeah, if they want to get lynched
suspended 2 weeks from :CF
It's ok, he doesn't know any better. Being from a backwards place like that will farg you up for life.
Look what it did to me - I moved to Canada and consider it an improvement.
Implosion next summer (http://www.delcotimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19811921&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18179&rfi=6)
a regular season Sixers game and a preseason Flyers game will be played there, and the Phantoms will move to Atlantic City for a few years until a new arena is built in Allentown
It's sad, but I figured it was about time. The Spectrum had a long and fruitful life. What worries me more is that the city is going to be saddled with a development with the awful name of "Philly Live!" for decades to come.
Snider makes it official (http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20080715_Its_official__Final_year_of_the_Spectrum.html)
(http://www.gearlog.com/images/11242.jpg)
the Flyers preseason game at the Spectrum will be Saturday 9/27 vs Carolina
....and the Sixers regular season game will be Friday 3/13 vs the Bulls
there isnt a chance in hell i miss that game
demolition begins at noon on Tuesday 11/23. Clarke, Dr J and Parent will be there. Hopefully John Street isn't
will pelle lindbergh be there too?
Quote from: MDS on November 10, 2010, 01:39:20 AM
will pelle lindbergh be there too?
you + suicide = win for all
Painful. :'(
Quote from: PhillyGirl on November 10, 2010, 09:07:10 AM
Painful. :'(
agreed. watching the vet come was a sad sight to see. the spectrum will be no different and for more reasons than just sports.
I love the Spectrum as much as the next person and have had some of the greatest memories of my life there, but good riddance. I went to the last Flyers game there and was never so thankful for the new arena (WFC). The concourses are ridiculously small and the seats are right on top of one another. With 3 other state of the art stadiums it's now an eye sore. I'm excited for Philly Live, if there were ever an area that needed something like that it, it was Broad and Pattison. Whatever they put there is going to thrive.
im thinking about getting a pair of seats the have on sale on the website..theyre 400 for a pair and honestly, im not sure if its worth it to drop that much on ugly vinyl chairs which im sure smell like 30 year old beer farts.
If you're going to drop 400 on them, then you might as well drop another 3 bucks on a bottle of fabreeze.
Quote from: SD on November 10, 2010, 10:29:26 AM
I'm excited for Philly Live
dont be...they have one in baltimore that is an absolute disgrace...its like the bar and club version of ikea and is basically a microcosm of everything that is wrong with america
in fact if thers a city in the world where this doesnt belong its philly...but if they are gonna do it it should be up on delaware ave somewhere
i hope they build a casino somewhere in philly live
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 11:59:52 AM
Quote from: SD on November 10, 2010, 10:29:26 AM
I'm excited for Philly Live
dont be...they have one in baltimore that is an absolute disgrace...its like the bar and club version of ikea and is basically a microcosm of everything that is wrong with america
in fact if thers a city in the world where this doesnt belong its philly...but if they are gonna do it it should be up on delaware ave somewhere
oh I know it's going to be an atrocity, but at least you have the option to hit up a restaurant or grab a beer when you're down there. As it is right now there ain't shtein within walking distance, you want something you have to wait until you get into the arena. I know this doesn't apply to expert tailgaters like yourself but for a lot of people it's nice to know there's another area to go to get something to eat or drink or take a dump.
has anyone ever taken a dump while tailgating?? i know i havent.
intentionally?
no.
I absolutely have. Portojohns don't disgust me they way they do most people and they certainly don't disgust me as much as holding a filthy tailgating poop up in my guts.
How clean does a place have to be if the only use for it is to avoid pissing yourself later and to blast sharts like a heroin addict before game time?
Quote from: Die-Hard on November 10, 2010, 03:00:57 PM
has anyone ever taken a dump while tailgating?? i know i havent.
I do it all the time. I actually feel more comfortable shteinting in the confines of a honey bucket than I do inside the stadium.
at work and nice hotel lobby bathrooms are the only public places ill ever poop
does the hood of an opposing fan's car count ?
I prefer public bathrooms to shteinting at home. Why would I want to have to smell my awful ass in the place where I live, eat and sleep?
Let the rest of the world deal with it.
i love the smell of my own shtein...i thought everyone did
You're obviously not doing it right.
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:09:35 PM
i love the smell of my own shtein...i thought everyone did
Anyone elses makes me nauseous but the smell of my own shtein and farts are like organic air freshener.
immodium pregame..ftw
Quote from: Seabiscuit36 on November 10, 2010, 04:13:31 PM
immodium pregame..ftw
Dude. No. No no no.
Immodium is the worst shtein ever invented. I seriously don't feel right for like 5 days afterwards. There is nothing on Earth I hate as much as carrying around a shtein that needs to be shat and not being able to release it into the wild.
Quote from: SD on November 10, 2010, 04:11:30 PM
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:09:35 PM
i love the smell of my own shtein...i thought everyone did
Anyone elses makes me nauseous but the smell of my own shtein and farts are like organic air freshener.
exactly...your own shtein is lovely....like the thought of smelling someones elses post basketball run taint juice makes me dry heave but ill get my finger down there and run it under my nose like a fine cigar
i love my own funky ass armpit smell too
Quote from: Seabiscuit36 on November 10, 2010, 04:13:31 PM
immodium pregame..ftw
BINGO.
rjs if you cant shtein for 5days after taking one you have other issues. may i suggest a prostate exam ? no not by a buddy, by a doctor.
Quote from: smeags on November 10, 2010, 04:17:24 PM
Quote from: Seabiscuit36 on November 10, 2010, 04:13:31 PM
immodium pregame..ftw
BINGO.
rjs if you cant shtein for 5days after taking one you have other issues. may i suggest a protate exam ? no not by a buddy, by a doctor.
I CAN shtein on like day 3, but it's awful. Just awful. And I'm not back to normal for a couple of days after.
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:17:05 PM
exactly...your own shtein is lovely....like the thought of smelling someones elses post basketball run taint juice makes me dry heave but ill get my finger down there and run it under my nose like a fine cigar
i love my own funky ass armpit smell too
Dude. No.
Quote from: Sgt PSN on November 10, 2010, 04:19:19 PM
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:17:05 PM
exactly...your own shtein is lovely....like the thought of smelling someones elses post basketball run taint juice makes me dry heave but ill get my finger down there and run it under my nose like a fine cigar
i love my own funky ass armpit smell too
Dude. No.
Ha. Holy shtein. No.
Yes
more yes than you could ever imagine
What
the
farg
Every guy has done it.
I wouldn't go to the extent of saying "enjoying" it....it's like this weird pride of man smell, though.
Exactly. I still do it on the regular, but it's not to savor the smell. It's mostly to gauge whether or not I need to shower before bed or if it can wait until I wake up.
^^^HAH, so true. definitely my "do I need to shower now or can it wait" measurement.
Quote from: Sgt PSN on November 10, 2010, 11:36:10 PM
Exactly. I still do it on the regular, but it's not to savor the smell. It's mostly to gauge whether or not I need to shower before bed or if it can wait until I wake up.
My gauge is my ball sweat. Which is another wonderful odor.
the truest gauge is your behind the ear smell
Quote from: SD on November 11, 2010, 07:34:40 AM
Quote from: Sgt PSN on November 10, 2010, 11:36:10 PM
Exactly. I still do it on the regular, but it's not to savor the smell. It's mostly to gauge whether or not I need to shower before bed or if it can wait until I wake up.
My gauge is my ball sweat. Which is another wonderful odor.
yeah boy !
If it ever smells behind your ear you are a filthy motherfarger.
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:17:05 PM
Quote from: SD on November 10, 2010, 04:11:30 PM
Quote from: ice grillin you on November 10, 2010, 04:09:35 PM
i love the smell of my own shtein...i thought everyone did
Anyone elses makes me nauseous but the smell of my own shtein and farts are like organic air freshener.
exactly...your own shtein is lovely....like the thought of smelling someones elses post basketball run taint juice makes me dry heave but ill get my finger down there and run it under my nose like a fine cigar
i love my own funky ass armpit smell too
This is the foulest/funniest thing I have ever read here. I am on a 5 minute laugh over this.
And
no!
CSN and ESPN will be showing the wrecking ball in an hour
my boy is down there tailgating. degenerate
http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/live_lunchbreak
Doc is rambling a bit
they're really knocking the whole thing down with that tiny wrecking ball?
nah, that was probably just for this ceremony. They knocked out two windows and put a decent hole into one section, then they stopped for lunch and everyone bailed
man, hearing pat croce tell these stories about the flyers is awesome. the bruise brothers in a bar about to get into a fight and dave brown pulls the guy's pants down from behind and then daryl stanley punches the guy out.
that was so pathetic.
http://www.the700level.com/they-really-did-boo-the-wrecking-balls-first-hit-at-the-spectrum.html
Get a bigger bawl!!
Probably the most anti-climatic thing I have ever seen
did you not see the ending to lost?
so wait, they hit it w a wrecking ball a few times and thats it?? if its gonna take 5 months to fully come down, what the farg was today all about?
so sportscenter does top 10 spectrum moments.
number one was Laettner's shot and number two was magic scoring 42 playing center.
violation.
garbage top 10 list - how do those two beat m80's being tossed at aerosmith in the late 70's ?
Was #3 Jordan scoring 52?
How awful is it that the top few moments in that arena's history don't include feats accomplished by either the Sixers or Flyers.
I didn't see the list but it's hard to argue with the Laetner shot as not being number 1 considering that's probably one of the top 10 sports moments of all time.
yeah theres no question whatsoever that laettner is number one...especially on a national sports show top ten
cant argue with magic being two either...again if its sportscenter doing it as opposed to csn philly...but even then i dont know how you dont put laettner one...
you gotta remember that the laettner shot didnt just end a game it ended what was already arguably the best college basketball game ever BEFORE he made that shot
I'm not arguing against either of those games/events. All I'm saying is that it's sad that the 2 teams who played there more than anyone else don't have the top moments. It's more of a knock on the Flyers and Sixers than it is on the list.
Quote from: Sgt PSN on November 24, 2010, 02:07:31 PM
I'm not arguing against either of those games/events. All I'm saying is that it's sad that the 2 teams who played there more than anyone else don't have the top moments. It's more of a knock on the Flyers and Sixers than it is on the list.
Both teams won titles there and played in a bunch of finals so it's not like it was a total letdown. CSN did a poll which was something to the effect of "What will you miss most about the Spectrum?" 58% said Flyers, 22% said Concerts, 18% said Sixers, and the rest was 'other'.
the best moments i spent in the spectrum actually involved mostly concerts. i was eight when the flyers won the cup, and yeah, i was there, but i only have flashes of memory of that moment. i wish i was there for game 6 in 1987, but i wasn't. i never gave a farg about the sixers althought i did see a lot of great games there during the barkley/gminski era.
my favorite moment was seeing r.e.m. from the second row high off my ass. we were so farged up peter buck actually came over laughing asking us if we were alright between songs.
shrooms + r.e.m. = win.
I've only been to a few Sixers games, 2 Flyers games and 1 Globetrotter's show at the Spectrum. Sad to say, but the event I've been there to see the most I think would be Ringling Bros circus. My parents took me every year for probably close to 10 years. They had no problem taking me to see the Phils and Eagles but were never much for basketball or hockey, so there wasn't much reason to go to the Spectrum.
I think I went in the spectrum 3 maybe 4 times.
Couple of phantoms games and a couple of concerts.
Quote from: Rome on November 24, 2010, 05:59:17 PM
my favorite moment was seeing r.e.m. from the second row high off my ass. we were so farged up peter buck actually came over laughing asking us if we were alright between songs.
Early 90's? Right after Monster came out? I was there. I remember someone asked me if I had any rolling papers. I was like 14 years old.
Drove by on Saturday morning. Kind of funny that they just put a hole in it and decided that's good enough for now.
it was the green tour in '89. i lived in florida during the monster tour. i hated that album, incidentally.
I felt obliged to like it at the time, grew to hate it, then grew to appreciate much of it later. Nice talk. gramps.
(http://mobilwi.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a6dde087970b0148c84b9d60970c-800wi)
(http://mobilwi.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a6dde087970b0148c84b9e4d970c-500wi)
i love how the one wall from the inital wrecking ball smash is still up
and it was tiny anyway but its incredible how small it looks empty
We were back home over thanksgiving, we toured the wachovia/wells fargo stadium, the kids were so excited. Then we pulled in the lot and asked what the big deal was and found out we showed up for the ceremony fro the spectrum! the kids loved every second! Hopefully these pics are igy approved and certified ;)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0811.jpg)
My 3 oldest with a sixer girl!!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0767.jpg)
It was non stop excitement, they were jacked that they were able to "be in" the game net for the Broad street bullies!! My oldest son's favorite shirt is my old Tocchet Jersey!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0789.jpg)
He wants to be a flyer soooooo bad!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0807.jpg)
And he is a wicked lefty
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0815.jpg)
my youngest wasnt to thrilled with the event LOL
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0822.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0814.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0826.jpg)
Dr. J
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0828.jpg)
Bernie and Bobby
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0833.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0826.jpg)
My Sunshine!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0829.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0843.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/phillymic/SAM_0844.jpg)
cute kids...the pic of the baby is great
how many do you have, four? five?
are you one of those full quiver weirdos?
LOL, we have 4. We are done, no more little ones for us. Well then agan we do live in the country and there isnt much to do on a cold winters night! ;D
My wife (who is from the suburbs of chicago) thought it was the funniest thing when the crowd was booing the crane operator. It only made her stories of philly fans grow when she tells them to her family and friends! My oldest boy jumped in 100% with the booing!
Your boy is all right! Cool pictures.
I want to punch your kid's faux hawk off his head.
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183575_10150097806487746_705417745_6856685_7199317_n.jpg)
They should leave it just like that.
i miss the pearl jam sign that's been there since like 2008.
pearl jams playing the spectrum???
The acoustics will kind of suck now.