A new podcast called “Listen Up Concord” is discussing a proposed 18,000 seat soccer stadium, which is a first in a series of podcasts of this issue.
This is the very first episode of the podcast, which is brought to you by the Concord Communities Alliance. It’s recorded in Concord by Concord residents.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the image above.
I know this is a bad idea for Concord it’s to small of a town to put something like this where it wants to be put and what the guy wants to do. SMH
County Connection already is a nightmare…..infrequent runs on most lines. Drain Ellis lake and build it there…can reverse Clayton rd after events back to freeway.
@ 94519 ~ Ellis Lake is fed by a natural spring… if you drain it it will just fill up again.
The Concord Fault also runs directly beneath it…wait, don’t tell me… you’re already on the Planning Commission aren’t you?
Not only no but heck no, being on the planning commission. Never knew about a spring. …… Only lived here since 1966, doh.
Thank you for sharing! For more info, swing by the CCA booth at Thursday night Farmer’s Market (Willow Pass & Grant St corner). We have opposition bumper stickers and buttons for those interested. If you support the stadium proposal, we are happy to listen to your reasoning.
Thanks for Listening, Concord!
The CCA references economists from the top universities in the country (Northwestern, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Berkeley) to support their argument that stadiums do not typically benefit the communities in which they are built. Seems reasonable to listen to experts who study these issues.
So I wonder why the CCA refuses to accept findings from economists from the very same universities in regards to the effectiveness of rent control?
because it doesn’t fit their agenda
Resident -Can you cite those economists from the very same universities? And what does rent control studies have to do with a downtown stadium? I’d like to hear them in a different forum whose subject is rent control.
Oh, ok.
In case they were interested in the the Initiative on Global Markets findings (the same IGM they reference in the podcast) in all issues they are advocating for, the link below is worth a look.
http://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/rent-control?fbclid=IwAR2xMKjODhBerwnjyID8hbqh0OQVtIOzPTHOE4gb9aS9n1nLypMhxxhbpJM
Economics is only one dimension by which policy proposals can be evaluated. And for the record, the person who cited the IGM Study in the podcast was a resident of Concord speaking at the City Council meeting in January.
Positive economic impact is the argument of the stadium developer, and also City Council members. So the comment in the podcast is an appropriate rebuttal on that basis.
Tenant protections and rent stabilization also have important moral dimensions. And the single best response to what the IGM survey says about rent control is that Concord has not had rent control for decades, and virtually no significant high density housing development anyway. So the topic of housing policy – in Concord – is clearly more nuanced than the IGM survey on rent control question reveals.
“…Concord has not had rent control for decades, and virtually no significant high density housing development anyway…”
Up until more recently, rents in Concord have been so low that it did not make economic sense to build here. Developers are interested in building in Concord, now that the level of rents make construction feasible. There are projects in the pipeline for almost every one of the empty lots in the downtown area. My concern is if the CCA gets their way, no one will want to invest in the city.
San Francisco has had rent control since 1979. Has 4 decades of those policies worked to help keep rents low?
From what I have seen, the CCA is another special interest group which it seems will not be happy until every available inch of land is developed into low income housing.
I’m not sure if the downtown stadium project will be good for Concord, but the CCA’s aggressively chasing away developers who propose anything but low income housing is not good for our city.
Resident,
There will be future episodes on our city’s tenant/landlord history, rent stabilization efforts, the recent ad hoc committee, where we are today, why, and where we are going. Look for it sometime after the January 7th City Council meeting.
In that episode, we’ll take a serious look at both sides (tenants activists and the well-funded opposition) of the issue, while being careful not to elevate too much of the CAA’s talking points. They don’t need our help. Still, we will be looking at many of the claims they encourage our local landlords to regurgitate. We will explore some of the things we hear repeatedly like the comparison you made here to SF. In that exploration, we’ll compare how rent control was introduced in SF, Oakland, SJ, etc and discuss the perceived positive and negative effects.
Anyway, I look forward to your commentary on that issue once we explore it further in a dedicated episode.
Thanks,
Dave
(Listen Up Concord’s producer)
Downtown cannot support the stadium, it is almost gridlocked now with the increase in traffic, it would be impossible, to get around, if they build one it should be out towards the old Navy base, and even then i would oppose it. City should buy the land and make it a park, especially with all the new apartment they built a little open space would be appreciated. Just another developer who really doesn’t care what they build and leave behind, just show me the money attitude
No, No, NO!!! Concord is too small for something like that. It would be as big as Chase Center. Even the crazy government officials in SF know that a stadium that big creates a nightmare of traffic. Chase Center holds 18,000 and there will only be 1,000 parking spots. Fans have to get there thru public transportation. Something like that in Concord would be a traffic/County Connection/ Uber nightmare. I also feel it would bring in more outsiders and more crime. I cannot see any way this stupid idea would benefit our town.
County Connection already is a nightmare…..infrequent runs on most lines.
Wow. That was amazing. So little has been published about this project. I look at Santa Clara and the problems they face with Levi Stadium. The Concord project is much smaller but just as impactful.
Maybe this needs to go to the voters.
@MadMom, the voters have a chance in 2020 when two of the city council members are up for re-election. If this goes to the voters it will likely be an enormously ugly and expensive ballot proposition. My concern is that developer and his backers have plenty of money to take this on. It will also be very costly for the city.
Nothing ever changes. The people who do vote around here just rubber stamp whoever they recognize on the ballot. That is why we have the corruption we have in the city, county, and state governments. No one really pays attention to what these people are doing unless it is just so corrupt that it is obvious. If people started paying attention to what the politicians are actually doing, most of them would be gone.
SHEER GREED
You think Concord has problems with car break-ins and thefts.. Just wait until something like an 18,000 seat stadium is added.. If you can’t control the situation now, you’ll just exponentially be adding gas to the fire. Fix the crime problems now, before building a monstrosity. Concord residents better stand up and hold back these self serving politicians.
Gridlock-Gridlock-Gridlock. This will be a gigantic mess. The city should did a hole, fill it with money and burn it.
It should say, listen up city council. No and no. This town isnt as good as it used to be. Enough cement.
Hi Mutts,
The name of the podcast wasn’t my first choice, but it sorta does make sense. CCA is telling Concord that we all need to make sure City Council hears from us on this issue.
District 1: Laura Hoffmeister
laura.hoffmeister@cityofconcord.org
District 2: Carolyn Obringer
carlyn.obringer@cityofconcord.org
District 3: Dominic Aliano
dominic.aliano@cityofconcord.org
District 4: Edi Birsan
edi.birsan@cityofconcord.org
District 5: Tim McGallian
tim.mcgallian@cityofconcord.org
Let’s hope Mayor Carolyn Obringer – who is up for re-election in 2020 – was sincere when she said “We take take very seriously the trust that the public has placed in us to serve as your elected officials and make decisions to the best of our ability on behalf of the city.” Let’s hope the $49,000 Joe Garaventa – president of Hall Sports Ventures – spent on getting Caryln on council in 2016 does not influence her decision.
Thanks,
Dave
(Listen Up Concord’s producer)
Dave-I fully support anyone who opposes our current city council when they come up for re-election, as long as they oppose this soccer stadium. It’s ridiculous.
This needs to go to the voters. Who is paying for the stadium? Count me in with the 86% against this downtown stadium. The traffic would be a nightmare. Have the proponents seen the traffic there during rush hour? Would the old BofA garage suffice to hold the attendees? Assuming night games, does anyone work in that complex at night?
Public transportation could not handle the load even if only 200-300 people wanted to attend. The choices would be local buses or drive to a different BART station and take BART. Neither could hold the people.
May I suggest somewhere out in the former Navy station, perhaps on one of the toxic spots near a highway exit.
I did not realize you could get that many people in that size of space to watch paint dry, amazing.
What’s in it for Concord, compared to what’s in it for the council members supporting it? And don’t forget the Garaventas, who own the garbage collection rights in Concord? Lots of garbage generated by large crowds.
There is a direct Garaventa connection on this project, which the podcast brings up: Mark Hall has hired Joseph Garaventa as the President of Hall Sports Ventures, the company under which he has the soccer team license. Joseph Garaventa spent $49,000 in independent expenditures in 2016 to help get Carlyn Obringer elected to City Council; she is now one of the five Councilmembers who will decide if this project goes forward.
While I don’t expect her to do so, the mayor should consider recusing herself from the conversation and any future votes in the decision-making.
Moronic History (lots of its people) repeats itself over and over again. Nothing new under the sun.
Here’s a much better vision with greater future payoff incentives…build on that area a live-in housing community for the destitute less privileged local bay area population to get jobs there from SILICONIAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE who would invest their billions to make commercial buildings for the production and manufacturing of electronic based products that will eventually be funnelled to all the world.
Yes, we need playgrounds, but industry will make CONCORD AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. THANKS. By ALEXANDER GREATNESS.
You really think the people would vote for community housing for the destitute and “less privileged?” They don’t want Mexicans, and they don’t want poor people, they want people just like them – or nothing….
Ok, let’s contemplate that one. Can we put a 18,000 seat arena in the center of downtown and have the Concord residents pay for it. Why don’t we put a giant swimming pool in the Mohave desert. They can barely control traffic on kicker pass when there is a sparsely filled concert at the pavilion. Anyone who would support or vote for this other than the developer or the politicians needs a sanity check……
Don’t forget the stadium would double as a 24,000 seat concert venue. That’s twice the Pavilion’s capacity.
I can just hear the noise, late at night, from concerts and games. Oh hell no.
Question, in the podcast it mentioned the initial vote was 4-1. Who, on the city council, opposes this? I’d sure like to know.
ranchgirl,
Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister was the “NO” vote.
Concord Communities Alliance – is just a political special interest group of the Bernie Sanders brand, the usual suspects belong to the group. Emotional politics that have their hand out at every corner or demand this and that. People it’s a study session, not a done deal, you spend so much money on stickers and t shirts and “alliances” but don’t bother to do your homework,
Why bother studying something that’s such a stupid idea conceptually?
Hi Frazier Fam,
Just would like to clarify that CCA is a grassroots group of Concord residents that works toward social equity. That’s our “special interest.”
We are not funded by any special interest groups nor are we organizationally affiliated with a political party. I, for example, am not a democrat and have never voted for one in a national election, despite voting every election since 2000.
You may disagree with opinions we vocalize, but it isn’t fair to suggest we are as homogeneous or monolithic as you’ve described. We are actually made up of tenants, landlords, homeowners, homeless, teachers, students, workers, business-owners, Christians, atheists… we are your neighbors. We aren’t selling anything and the only thing we stand to gain is a more equitable Concord. Again, THAT is our “special interest”. If you live in Concord, it should maybe be yours too.
Thanks,
Dave
(Listen Up Concord’s producer)
Here is the question: Will this project make Concord a better place to live?
No. Better put together a focus group…………
I don’t mind CCA being a special interest group, I think it is a wonderful thing that they are making a fuss about it. We need more people to know that a non Concordian corperation is trying to profit from us, and the City Council has not listened to the people.
I am a Concord native almost 46 years and everyone I have talked about this with is against it. There used to be open spaces, empty lots, nature. Now every bit of open space is covered in concrete or asphalt. There is so much traffic and pollution. Building a stadium will only make it worse. Even the back roads like Fairfield to Hickory to North 6th to Sixth have become a main roads.
Concord where families come first?! The stadium will not help my family.
How many on the Council are Concord natives? That should be a requirement to hold any political office just like the President.
Completely agree with you! I’ve been here since the early 60’s. Our traffic is a mess especially in the mornings. How many council members drive their kids to local schools? Takes 30 minutes to just drive through town during non-commute hours. When these council people come up for election again, vote! They only care about the bottom dollar, traffic? Oh heck, they can mitigate it, no they can’t! Kirker Pass is a nightmare for residents living near the Pavilion, now we’ll have another one in the downtown area. Sadly, Concord is NOT for families any longer. As for the Garaventa family, they’ve had things their way for decades, it won’t change. How many of them live here?
When all is said and done, the stadium will be a huge burden on taxpayers.
The roads will still be as horrible as they are now, if not worse.
Crime will be much higher.
Homelessness will be much worse.
The only beneficiaries will be the City Council who want to better themselves at the cost of the people they are supposed to represent.
What about the kids that love to scooter, bike and skate?
Where are they going to go? There is a whole community of youngsters that would be devastated, if the skate park is torn down.
Hi there,
If the proposal goes through, the skate park will indeed be torn down and developed upon. However, part of HEG’s master plan – as most recently reviewed by City Council and CCA – includes building a new skate park on the other side of the BART tracks, along San Miguel Rd between Marilyn Way and Systron Dr.
So it’s not going away forever. Seeing as Hall wouldn’t see completion of the project until 2023 or or so, there’d likely be a long period of time where there is no skatepark.
For more info check out the F.A.Q. that CCA set up on their website:
ConcordCommunitiesAlliance.org/stadium
Thanks!
Dave
(Listen Up Concord’s producer)
There is a drainage system that needs attention with all the run off from the ridge. Relocating a skate park is fine. Displacing a local bedroom community for out of town foreign investors is not.
The homeless population in Concord has obviously increased quite a bit over a fairly short period of time. At the rate we are going, combined with projects like this that lack ZERO planning (traffic impact studies,etc.), I fully expect to see the tent cities (they’re kinda already here if you look closely) of Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Richmond, Modesto, etc etc etc. to be right here in our city of Concord.
The homeowners living in the neighborhoods near Concord BART should be fighting this tooth and nail, or planning on selling their houses very shortly. Can’t even imagine how horrible neighborhood conditions will be if this debacle is built…noise, parking, drunkeness, traffic, and increased crime will seriously destroy any quality of life. Don’t expect the Council to take this into consideration either…madness to put it in the downtown, and not on all the vacant military land.
Excellent and very informative podcast. Thank you, Mr. Hughes!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for listening!
Thanks again for listening everyone!
Don’t forget to swing by our booth tomorrow at the Farmer’s Market and collect a “No stadium in downtown Concord” bumper sticker or button! Updated flyers will be available too.
Our booth will be less stadium-centric going forward, but we’re still happy to hear from you and answer any questions you might have.
-Dave
CCA
Thanks Dave for keeping us all informed in real time.
Did anyone catch in the beginning that this group describes itself as a grassroots coalition focusing on social equity. I am curious, in this context, what is meant by social equity? Or for that matter, coalition?