Just more reason for Pitt to build their own stadium....other than tailgating, Heinz and the Northside offer NOTHING
OT: Lot 2, Lot 4 on chopping block
- Thread starter TIGER-PAUL
- Start date
I definitely have always known it was heading this way because of the money, and I don't begrudge anyone who enjoys the barhopping experience. If that's what you like prior to a football game then great.
I just don't see hordes of Pitt fans who will be stepping up to attend in the place of tailgaters who will stop attending, and I see that as a fairly significant percentage for a program with only about 30000ish reliable attendees.
But I could be wrong. Hell maybe thousands have been holding back from attending our games, not because of the lame teams, but because there haven't been ENOUGH chain bar choices on the NS! And I only say that partially tongue in cheek, maybe having tons more bar choices WOULD bring a much bigger crowd, and younger and less cynical, to our games. Maybe it'll turn out to be great. Thin out the herd of old bitter cheapskates. I don't pretend to know what motivates people today. I just know that the EXISTING crowd will take a hit. And I'll be in that statistic.
I just don't see hordes of Pitt fans who will be stepping up to attend in the place of tailgaters who will stop attending, and I see that as a fairly significant percentage for a program with only about 30000ish reliable attendees.
But I could be wrong. Hell maybe thousands have been holding back from attending our games, not because of the lame teams, but because there haven't been ENOUGH chain bar choices on the NS! And I only say that partially tongue in cheek, maybe having tons more bar choices WOULD bring a much bigger crowd, and younger and less cynical, to our games. Maybe it'll turn out to be great. Thin out the herd of old bitter cheapskates. I don't pretend to know what motivates people today. I just know that the EXISTING crowd will take a hit. And I'll be in that statistic.
Sorry to hear that it didn't live up to that Cheers marathon that you watched on Nick at Night. I bet not one person even called out your name when you walked in!
Seriously, it is a good enough place to get a couple of drinks 6 days a year. If you don't like it, the Modern is literally across the street. They have plenty of other beers if you don't like IPAs and - conveniently - a bloody mary bar for our many noon kickoffs. Either one beats the hell out of the Tequila Cowboy.
well if that happens (it wont) then they level Heinz field and build more tax producing condos and office buildings..
again, steelers aren't leaving north shore
who wants to live in over priced condos surrounded by bar louie and corporate office buildings in north shore, next to an area called "The Mexican war streets?"
The same Mexican War Streets that have been one of the most desirable areas of the city to live in for a decade now?
If the Steelers decide to move, then the area will be developed just as you said. It’s not like they’d knock down the light rail station, Stage AE, PNC Park (!), the casino, the science center, the office buildings, and the residential development and take all that stuff with them out to Warrendale. It would still be there, and even in the event that Heinz Field is gone it’s all a heck of a lot better than a sea of parking lots.
The people paying $500,000 for houses there.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
People really make decisions about attending games based on tailgating? I never realized that.
It's more likely that the Rooney's want to keep that land open as long as they can so they have a viable landing spot for the next stadium. Having that land open and the rights to develop that land is the only way they get to hold a gun to the city's head. This is more than just the cities rush to develop that land. This is all about leveraging the next stadium deal.
It's more likely that the Rooney's want to keep that land open as long as they can so they have a viable landing spot for the next stadium. Having that land open and the rights to develop that land is the only way they get to hold a gun to the city's head. This is more than just the cities rush to develop that land. This is all about leveraging the next stadium deal.
Have you been to that area? If you complain about cookie cutter condos and businesses and then you should take a walk over there and have a beer in Monterrey Pub. Those are some of the oldest and most historically preserved homes in the city. It is the one part of Pittsburgh that still has the old east coast city feel of Philly or Boston.
absolutely. People have been pre-gaming since the beginning of athletic events. bars, tailgates, dining, whatever. it's what people do.
The people that pull up to game 3 minutes before game starts and walk in, attend game then leave with 5 minutes to go to beat traffic. Those people, i look at them and wonder why in the hell would they just not stay home and watch it on tv.. makes no sense to me.
dude, i kid you not, it's my goal here to check out a few of these pubs in the area. The modern is on my list. Maxwell's something or other? I'll look up MOnterray Pub too. I am dead serious, this is on my priority list of things to do asap.
dude, im sure its nice. people like Victorian homes and living in the city, some like suburbs, some like the sticks. again, to each his own, we are all allowed to like different things.. IT'd be boring if we didn't.
Ill check out monterrey pub.. you are right though, neighborhood has some character apparently, I need to check it out.
I do think the theory is that the place should be productive 7 days a week and not just football or baseball days. It makes sense on that level. Hopefully it actually is working out that way in reality. The casino likely does well day in and out, anyway. It will be interesting long term if a large plethora of bars and restaurants can thrive on non-sports weeknights especially with less and less parking. In theory the younger gen like to go out more but hate to drive so it may well work out. Maybe in the long run the stadiums will be seen as nuisances to the rest of the night life there. Given that the trend of actual attendance to games is plateauing if not downward.
Especially for perennial 6-6 teams like ours that will never likely sniff a natty champ in our lifetimes. Going to the game for the game's sake alone seems folly.
When (normal civilian non-Pitt) people ask my weekend plans and I mention I'm going to the Pitt game, there's often a "really?" In facial expression if not outright asking. Like, "why the heck would you do THAT?" Im often compelled to hurriedly add "yeah, I meet up with friends, we tailgate, it's a whole thing like that. Sometimes we forget to go into the game, heh heh"
That's never felt if I mention I'm going to, say, the Penguins game or Steelers game. I wouldn't really know for Pirates games; I haven't attended one since 2001.
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i would assume that is what developers are banking on. condos means people live here and go out and eat/drink and not just on steeler sundays. the idea, i'd assume is to get a year round business unlike what it was in 90's and 00s where it was a ghost town unless the pirates or steelers played.
I think that is happening, slowly but surely. younger people are out in cultural district, north shore, market square during weekdays now. im early 40's and i can tell you, these places were ghost towns on a wed night most of the time 15-20 years ago.
im doing monterrey pub today, after work. for you my man, no joke. watch me love this place and completely take back everything i said about Mexican war streets.
to be continued...
Eliminate all tailgating and the Steelers might eventually use it (sooner rather than later) as a reason to move out of the city to a new stadium with co-located tailgating in a more rural/suburban setting similar to what other NFL teams have to preserve tailgating and related attendance. The city ought to tread lightly lest it inadvertently cut it's own throat.
Those 2 lots combined have space for 500 cars. How many of those cars have tailgates, and how many will stop attending Pitt and/or Steelers games because they can't find a place to tailgate? 100? 200? Hardly a significant number of ticket sales lost.
Soon, you will have to Uber to a Panthers or Steelers game and eat in a restaurant w/ no tailgating or parking available.
i think uber jacks up prices for gamedays, nfl especially. getting dropped off shouldn't be big deal but i bet Uber drivers aren't exactly too thrilled to pick someone up in north shore on a sunday afternoon right after a steeler game ends..
Thankfully I am in the south hills, so I get to use the T. I will be showing up for the game and leaving right after. Nothing in the food/bar wise in the North Side is appealing to me (outside of Peppi's) and I can't imagine them bringing in something that would be. With that said I am the oldest 39 year old I know. My name should be Curmudgeon.
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It's just part of the continuing elimination of surface lots. Which I mentioned, I knew was the plan and tailgating was on borrowed time. And im sure most others also realize it. It doesn't mean we have to like it ... or will keep attending games regularly as a result. Some will, some won't.
People are congregated in an area, willing and eager to hang out for hours and spend money. Not exactly crazy to assume the city and developers would try and take advantage of this.
No real bad guy here, just kind of sucks. Such is life.
The more hoops you have people jump through the better chance they find something else to do.
500 parking spaces with usually 2-4 people ( or more) per vehicle could add up to more than 100 or 200.
When Mrs Buffett and I leave the game and walk through the lots to our Northshore Hotel or bar the vehicles leaving the lots are full of people.
So lets use some "alternative math" 4 people per vehicle on average x's 500 parking spaces = 2,000 potential PITT fans.
Tailgates cancelled in that lot might attract 20 - 40 per tailgate some more, some less, people arrive to tailgates by various methods of transportation most don't park in the tailgate lot.
Many people like to get to tailgates early before the game to beat the traffic and go to the tailgate after the game while they wait for the traffic to let up.
No tailgate they watch the game from home! Another potential significant loss of PITT fans!
This could add up to a lot of PITT fans deciding to stay home!
Tailgates usually have lots of people in attendance who arrive in many different ways. Most don't park in the lot where the tailgate takes place. With no tailgate to go to some may choose to skip the game.
This happened with our tailgate which had to be cancelled due to parking lot issues. A large number now just stay home and watch the game since the tailgate was cancelled.
The tailgate principals are working on restarting the tailgate this season to get some people back to the games.
Doesn't appear to be a fan friendly move!
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Bar hopping sucks. The places are packed and it's a small fortune to eat and drink. They just want to place more office space on Northside. You can dress it up w/ words like condos and nightlife but this is all about office space. The condos will be few and not in my price range. The nightlife will be a buffalo wild wings or applebees
Max's Allegheny Tavern is great. A bit of a hike for Pitt games but it can be done. But let me tell you, for Steeler games it is a gem. Brunch buffet, German beer on tap and then a shuttle ride to Heinz.
These are the last 2 parcels that are being developed, so there are no other spaces being lost. And it is quite possible that another parking garage would be built to replace at least some of these 500 spots.
Nope, just how the world turns. It's just something that'll be gone that I'll miss. Where better to vent than a message board during the offseason...
this exactly, they clearly haven't been in the area to dismiss it so quickly.
it's inevitable for the parking lots to remain. quickly browsed this thread, but another reason is the binge drinking that is associated with tailgating. This then adds to the unruly behavior within the stadium, which is often cited as a reason why people don't attend Steelers games. People are still going to drink before the game, so the City wants the added tax revenue from it.
What sticks out to me is that at least two prime locations are sitting empty right now with Rivertown and the Tilted Kilt being closed. Hard to see them wanting to put up more retail space knowing that what's already there isn't being utilized.
it's inevitable for the parking lots to remain. quickly browsed this thread, but another reason is the binge drinking that is associated with tailgating. This then adds to the unruly behavior within the stadium, which is often cited as a reason why people don't attend Steelers games. People are still going to drink before the game, so the City wants the added tax revenue from it.
What sticks out to me is that at least two prime locations are sitting empty right now with Rivertown and the Tilted Kilt being closed. Hard to see them wanting to put up more retail space knowing that what's already there isn't being utilized.
The houses we saw were awesome.
But since the feeder school was sketchy we went to highland park instead and got into the Dilworth lottery
Good move. Better tailgating for the youth sports in the east end as well.
Binge drinking is binge drinking. U can get drunk in a bar as easily as in a bar. Probably moreso in a bar with shots and beer at your convenience.
Limiting tailgating isn’t going to minimize drunken behavior. If anything, it will add to it.
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Last time I looked Steelers games were packed..
Compared to New England, Philly Eagles, and other NFL crowds the Steelers crowd are a bunch of dressed up nice "pussy cats."
We were at an Eagles game once when drunk fans dumped beer, other drinks, threw hot dogs, frozen soda's at a family, on kids, with Giants stuff on.
Steelers people don't do that!
To be fair other NFL team fans like going to Heinz since the majority of Steelers fans are crazy for their team but leave other team fans alone.
IMO binge drinking in the bars is worse since all kinds of alcohol is available while most tailgates have limited alcohol not like bars, and people eat, drink and talk most of the time!
I agree about the closed down locations which surprised me that they'd be vacant for this long.
Pittsburgh should be careful not to over manage, over develope its great Northshore sports complex!
Mrs Buffett and I have been to a lot of places and Pittsburgh Northshore is one of the countries best!
Last time I looked Steelers games were packed..
Compared to New England, Philly Eagles, and other NFL crowds the Steelers crowd are a bunch of dressed up nice "pussy cats."
We were at an Eagles game once when drunk fans dumped beer, other drinks, threw hot dogs, frozen soda's at a family, on kids, with Giants stuff on.
Steelers people don't do that!
To be fair other NFL team fans like going to Heinz since the majority of Steelers fans are crazy for their team but leave other team fans alone.
IMO binge drinking in the bars is worse since all kinds of alcohol is available while most tailgates have limited alcohol not like bars, and people eat, drink and talk most of the time!
I agree about the closed down locations which surprised me that they'd be vacant for this long.
Pittsburgh should be careful not to over manage, over develope its great Northshore sports complex!
Mrs Buffett and I have been to a lot of places and Pittsburgh Northshore is one of the countries best!
What a blatant attempt by the bureaucrats to screw Pittsburgh sports fans. I'm sure the fact that ticket holders shell out hundreds of dollars for game tickets and support the businesses around the stadium means nothing to the mayor or the money-hungry Steelers. How much $$ have developers contributed to Peduto's campaigns?
I don't know but i was promised something like this on the other side of the west end bridge. i want my ferris wheel.
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apparently i need to clarify my post to @Zeldas Open Roof and @BuffetParrothead .
i didn't say drinking before the game would stop, i said that the city collects much more revenue from taxes on alcohol sales in restaurants than they would from alcohol consumed in the parking lots purchased in bulk from out of town. that cannot be argued and was the point i am trying to make.
and i didn't say steeler game attendance was struggling, just citing one of the reasons those who don't go choose not to. and i said it was another reason, not the only reason.
i didn't say drinking before the game would stop, i said that the city collects much more revenue from taxes on alcohol sales in restaurants than they would from alcohol consumed in the parking lots purchased in bulk from out of town. that cannot be argued and was the point i am trying to make.
and i didn't say steeler game attendance was struggling, just citing one of the reasons those who don't go choose not to. and i said it was another reason, not the only reason.
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