Why Doesn't America Build Cool Sports Stadiums?

[KCMax]

The Architecture of Disaster



This.

Versus.



This.

"With most teams, usually, it's a manager, or a second-tier manager, tasked to look for an architect," he tells me. "So they look for someone good enough for them to keep their own job. They take no risk. They go down the list of firms that have built five stadiums already ? or more. And each team keeps doing that. It's such a shame. Other countries pay attention to these buildings. They are massive, and they are important."

So why does America take so few design risks? "Our culture. Other cities in other countries don't believe in wasting money the way we do. In America, we think, 'It's only going to be up for 50 years, so we don't have to worry about what it looks like. In 50 years, it's going to go down anyway.' The problem is they then get replaced with bad buildings that are imitations. They're not original, they're not spectacular, they're not singular to their setting.

Thought the criticism of Populous was unwarranted. They're just giving the clients what they want. Their international projects far exceed the creativity they give their domestic clients - because that's what they want.

Are most stadiums in Europe privately or publicly financed? I wonder if the process we finance stadiums - publicly, with democratic elections behind them (unlike China) - creates an incentive to appeal to the masses, lest those behind the project be labeled "crazy" or "stupid" for taking a risk.

[kboish]

also had this to say about kc...

Now, don't tell me that the design constraints of a football stadium defy entrancing architecture ? not until you've seen a Chiefs game in whimsical Arrowhead Stadium, designed by Charles Deaton, who also designed the futurama house in Woody Allen's Sleeper. At its unveiling in 1972, Arrowhead became an instant architectural gem ? and continues to draw the most fervently barbecued football fans in history. And, despite being wide open, is considered to be the loudest stadium in the NFL.

[IraGlacialis]

Thing is, unless we are trying to land the Olympics or World Cup, I don't think we need to concern ourselves whether our stadiums are glitzy pieces of architecture. As long as they are structurally sound and are up-to-date, I see no issue. We put sports on a pedestal enough as it is.

EDIT: However... if this is going to be privately funded with public coming solely from taxpayers upping their taxs to pay for this., all the power to them I guess.

[coreyo]

That stadium? I would never want to walk by that stadium every day.  It's intriguing for 2 seconds and then I ask "why?"  I don't find it attractive at all.

[KCMax]

Thing is, unless we are trying to land the Olympics or World Cup, I don't think we need to concern ourselves whether our stadiums are glitzy pieces of architecture. As long as they are structurally sound and are up-to-date, I see no issue. We put sports on a pedestal enough as it is.

EDIT: However... if this is going to be privately funded with public coming solely from taxpayers upping their taxs to pay for this., all the power to them I guess.

An interesting point I saw in another discussion on the article is that in America we have way more sports stadiums than other countries. Like in KC alone we have six stadiums- Kauffman, Arrowhead, Sprint, Kemper, Livestrong and Kansas Speedway - that can hold 17,000 or more people. And we're only the 32nd or so largest market in the country. In many cities our size in other countries, there would be on multipurpose stadium, but they'd focus all their efforts on making it the best stadium as a representative of that city.

[IraGlacialis]

In many cities our size in other countries, there would be on multipurpose stadium, but they'd focus all their efforts on making it the best stadium as a representative of that city.

Actually, I agree a lot with that, to a point. Consolidating our indoor arenas would definitely be beneficial (note how many events moved from Kemper to Sprint). And I personally don't think that it would be too much work to make a soccer/football/track combo like in other countries  (besides, it is not like each of those events conflicts schedule-wise). Of course, there are currently rules in place about that, for whatever reason: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer_stadium.

However, you don't see the Commonwealth nations mixing their cricket and soccer stadiums. The same goes for the fact that it has been found that mix-used baseball-football stadiums aren't as effective in reality, hence the move away from them. Note that most of the most spectacular stadiums in other countries are either due to the hosting of the Olympics/World Cup or because soccer is the only major sport of note.
As a whole, compare Commonwealth and Japanese stadiums, with that of mainland Europe and Asia.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Like in KC alone we have six stadiums- Kauffman, Arrowhead, Sprint, Kemper, Livestrong and Kansas Speedway - that can hold 17,000 or more people. And we're only the 32nd or so largest market in the country. In many cities our size in other countries, there would be on multipurpose stadium, but they'd focus all their efforts on making it the best stadium as a representative of that city.

It would be interesting to see a NASCAR race in Arrowhead.

[Highlander]

It would be interesting to see a NASCAR race in Arrowhead.

Centripetal force would wreak havoc.