Greater Linden Development Corporation

Kicking Off Soccer in the Crew's New Stadium

Jul 06, 1999

What a difference a year makes! On May 15th, when the Columbus Crew plays their first game in the nation?’s only soccer specific stadium, exactly 365 days will have passed since the Ohio Expositions Committee voted to allow the Crew to build their stadium. With a construction timetable of only nine months, the Crew had no time to lose. In fact, for the past several weeks a second shift has been working during the evenings to make sure that the stadium opens on time.

This is the Crew?’s fourth season in Columbus and third attempt at building a stadium. With the renovations to Ohio Stadium (the Crew?’s former home) now in full swing, it was imperative that the Crew find a new home. In the spring of 1997, Franklin County voters rejected a plan that would have built a stadium downtown on the former Ohio State Penitentiary site (the area where the Nationwide Arena District will now be built). February of 1998 saw the defeat of a referendum in Dublin, a community that
had overwhelmingly supported the downtown plan. With the Crew running out of time to find a home, management had to act fast. Land was identified next to the State Fairgrounds, negotiations were held, and before very long a deal was made that would allow the Crew to lease land from the Ohio Exposition Center for the purpose of constructing a privately funded stadium.

Many people have been wondering how the Columbus Crew?’s stadium locating in Greater Linden will affect them. Staff here at GLDC have been wondering too, and have had several meetings and conversations with crew staff to get some of the answers.

What will the traffic situation be like?

Jamie Rootes, General Manager of the Crew, said, ?“Going to a Crew game is a family activity. That is why we expect people to arrive, on average, three to a car.?” This would mean that for a sellout game, the area would see about 7,500 cars traveling to and from the stadium. For those familiar with the traffic generated by the Ohio State Fair, this may not seem like a lot of cars. However, it is definitely more than ?“normal,?” every day traffic. Being aware of when to expect this heavier traffic may help residents avoid it. Luckily, no Crew games have been scheduled during the Ohio State Fair, avoiding a potential traffic nightmare. In addition, the Crew, in conjunction with Greater Linden, has been working to minimize the impact that traffic will have on the community. As many residents are aware, a significant amount of State Fair traffic has been funneled down Hiawatha and over to McGuffey Road. Only Crew employees, VIP and preferred
pass holders will be allowed to access the stadium using Hiawatha Park. The road will be barricaded at the I-71 Bridge, and a law enforcement officer will be stationed there.

How will the noise affect the community? There are a number of elements that will contribute to game related noise at the Crew Stadium. First is the noise of increased traffic. With 7,500 cars coming and 7,500 cars going, there is bound to be increased vehicular noise. Second is the crowd. Soccer, being a relatively low scoring game, shouldn?’t generate too much crowd noise, but be prepared for the occasional eruption from the Crew faithful! Third is the public address system. Like all major sports stadiums, the Crew?’s stadium will have a public address system which will be used for announcements to the crowd. It is also likely that a limited amount of music will be played at different points during the game. The final
factor that will contribute to noise does not even come from the Crew themselves. Rather, it will come from the concert acts that will perform there. The Crew is not planning to allow very many acts to access the stadium, but the noise level could still be a factor in the community.

What about the stadium lights? The lighting system at the stadium is bright. However, with the majority of the Crew?’s games being played during the summer months, it is unlikely that these lights will cause a prolonged distraction for residents. As a consequence of the sun setting earlier in the spring and fall, it will be necessary for the lights to be on for a longer period of time. Soccer games tend to last for only two hours. So, when a game starts at 7:30 p.m., the lights should be off at a reasonable hour. Also, each of the four lights is angled down to better illuminate the playing field, NOT the community.

Congratulations to the Columbus Crew for successfully building America?’s first soccer specific stadium, and right here in Greater Linden! The Crew, like the community in which they have located, has struggled to overcome great adversity on their way to becoming one of Columbus?’ great success stories. Our best wishes go to them for a triumphant season!

?—Brian Higgins,
Graduate Student Intern