2011 Gold Cup Venues Announced

[Bruce]

From THE GLEANER:



CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals in Houston

Published: Friday | December 17, 2010
NEW YORK (AP):
The semi-finals of next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played at ]Houston's Reliant Stadium on June 22.
The quarter-finals will be at the New Meadowlands Stadium on June 18 in East Rutherford, NJ, and the next day at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC.
The final for football's regional championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean was announced last summer for June 25 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The winners qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, a warm-up tournament for the 2014 World Cup.

The Gold Cup opens on June 5 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Nine venues will be used for the first round, with other games at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California (June 6); Ford Field in Detroit (June 7); Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina (June 9); Florida International Stadium in Miami (June 10); Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida (June 11); Soldier Field in Chicago (June 12); Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey (June 13); and KC Soccer Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas (June 14).

Defending champions Mexico will be joined by the United States, Cuba, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica and five Central American nations to be determined next month.

[TheDread]

them miss canada

[Tilla]

I hope they play Jamaica at the new KC Soccer Stadium. It would be a hop, skip and a jump for me.

Defending champions Mexico will be joined by the United States, Cuba, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica and five Central American nations to be determined next month.

Seems as if the GC is becoming a truly CONCACAF competition now. No more external teams, which is good in my book.

[Bruce]

I could drive to Chicago, Detroit, and probably Kansas City.
Tilla, I am sure you know where all the good barbecue rib joints are?

[Hortical]

Raymond James stadium is not a soccer friendly venue. Rentschler Field & Foxboro did not make the cut.........

[Assasin]

Jamaica is usually in Florida or Cali.

[wbvs]

From THE GLEANER:



CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals in Houston

Published: Friday | December 17, 2010
NEW YORK (AP):
The semi-finals of next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played at ]Houston's Reliant Stadium on June 22.
The quarter-finals will be at the New Meadowlands Stadium on June 18 in East Rutherford, NJ, and the next day at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC.
The final for football's regional championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean was announced last summer for June 25 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The winners qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, a warm-up tournament for the 2014 World Cup.

The Gold Cup opens on June 5 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Nine venues will be used for the first round, with other games at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California (June 6); Ford Field in Detroit (June 7); Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina (June 9); Florida International Stadium in Miami (June 10); Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida (June 11); Soldier Field in Chicago (June 12); Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey (June 13); and KC Soccer Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas (June 14).

Defending champions Mexico will be joined by the United States, Cuba, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica and five Central American nations to be determined next month.

The reliant stadium in houston have people hoping for a USA - Mexico
semi , would be a dream if the reggaeboyz meets a panama or costa
rica in the other game .



Reliant to host Gold Cup semi

CONCACAF showcase match set for June 22

By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

Dec. 16, 2010, 4:56PM


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Brett Coomer Chronicle

The U.S. and Mexico will highlight the semifinals, either playing each other or playing to earn spots in the finals.


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In another testament to Houston's ascension as one of the top soccer cities in the United States, Reliant Stadium has been picked to host the semifinals of the prestigious 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Moreover, if Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear and most of the area's soccer fans have their way, the United States and Mexico will highlight the June 22 semifinals, either playing each other or playing to earn spots at the June 25 finals.
"I think anytime we can have big soccer events in Houston, it's good news for the city," said Dynamo president Chris Canetti. "It's good news for soccer and good news for the Dynamo."
Mexico's national team has already made it clear it will send its top squad to compete in the Gold Cup, meaning stars such as Javier Hernandez of Manchester United, Andres Guardado of Deportivo la Coruna, Carlos Salcido of Fulham and Giovani Dos Santos of Tottenham are likely to appear for what could very well be the best side El Tri has ever suited up in Houston.
American coach Bob Bradley also is expected to field his top squad because the 2011 Gold Cup champion will represent CONCACAF at the prestigious 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, where most of the top regional champions will compete a year before Brazil hosts the 2014 World Cup. Landon Donovan, former Dynamo star Stuart Holden, Clint Dempsey of Fulham and Tim Howard of Everton will likely feature for the U.S.
"Really it's going to be very cool," said Lone Star Sports & Entertainment president Jamey Rootes, the president of the NFL's Texans. "I think it's a reflection of how people feel about the passion of our fan base."
Reliant Stadium has built a reputation for drawing strong crowds for the Gold Cup since it played host to first round and quarterfinal doubleheaders in 2005. With a combined 105,000 in attendance, Reliant had the highest average attendance for the 2005 Gold Cup. Two years later, 68,417 packed Reliant for a first round doubleheader and 70,092 attended a quarterfinals doubleheader, giving Houston the two largest crowds for the 2007 Gold Cup.
Although only 47,713 showed up for a 2009 first round doubleheader, that crowd was the largest opening-round crowd of the tournament.
"We are honored to once again be a host for the CONCACAF Gold Cup" Rootes said. "Houston is home to a large and passionate base of international soccer fans. And the soccer world has certainly taken notice. We look forward to bringing the excitement of the Gold Cup back to Reliant Stadium."
Houston's soccer appetite was definitely recognized less than six months after Hernandez and Donovan helped draw a sellout crowd on July 28 at Reliant Stadium for the most successful All-Star game in Major League Soccer history.
"I think it shows that Houston is one of the top cities in America when it comes to being a soccer community and soccer city," Kinnear said. "With exhibitions in the past and the arrival of the Dynamo, the All-Star game and other Gold Cup matches, I think Houston is always thought of as a top soccer city, and it's a nice thing to know that."
Reliant Stadium will be the 12th of 13th venues that will be used throughout the country for the 20th anniversary of the Gold Cup, which decides the champion of CONCACAF, which represents the North American, Central American and Caribbean regions. The final will be held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
The tournament will kick off on June 5 with a first round match at Cowboys Stadium, which joined Reliant Stadium among the stadiums the U.S. Bid Committee presented as part of its failed bid to land the 2022 World Cup.
"I think the dream semifinal would be Mexico in one and the USA in another one," Kinnear said. "That would definitely satisfy the appetite of every soccer fan in Houston."
Soccer in Houston has grown tremendously since Reliant Stadium played host to a U.S.-Mexico match in 2003. Once the Dynamo landed here in December 2005 and won the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cups over the team's first two seasons, the American soccer community began to take a longer look at Houston's strong fan base.
With the Texans' Lone Star Sports and Entertainment arm and the Dynamo working together, the MLS All-Star game against Manchester United drew the largest crowd in MLS All-Star Game history, earning special praise from MLS commissioner Don Garber.
"We are very excited about our cities and venues," CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. "Each will add a distinct flavor to the event and will help make this the best Gold Cup to date."
The U.S., Mexico and Canada have automatic bids to the Gold Cup. Caribbean entries Jamaica, Cuba, Grenada and Guadeloupe already have qualified. Central America's five participants will be decided next month in Panama at the Copa Centroamericana. "The best matchup in CONCACAF is U.S. vs. Mexico," Canetti said. "That's the dream matchup everybody wants to see and the dream matchup for the promoters to maximize the business

[Tilla]

Tilla, I am sure you know where all the good barbecue rib joints are?

Yes Bruce, I would know just where to take you. I have found that the big names in BBQ are not all that however. There is a place name Oklahoma Joe's which I think beats all of them by about a mile.

Yes, let me know if you would be coming. I just pray Jamaica will play here. The only problem I see if that the new stadium will be about 22,000 capacity. I am wondering if that will not be too small.

[Jangle]

A gwine werk some guzuum fi dem come to the Red Bull Stadium. Bwoy from Merica mek dat WRONG mistake and play Jamaica pon di east coast........... ~sigh~

[Gamma]

when is the draw?

Looking at going to NC or FL .... how many can FIU stadium accomodate?

[wbvs]

when is the draw?

Looking at going to NC or FL .... how many can FIU stadium accomodate?

NC or FL fi real gamma , the draw is January 16 in Panama City according to the concacaf website . That's when the concacaf executive have a meeting .

[wbvs]

A gwine werk some guzuum fi dem come to the Red Bull Stadium. Bwoy from Merica mek dat WRONG mistake and play Jamaica pon di east coast........... ~sigh~

yuh nuh knoo weh yuh ah seh man , mi nuh want merika fi inna wi group
di jinx woulda harda fi break , mi want ja buk dem inna ah Quarter final ,
semi or even final . di game can be diceided by penalties jangle , ah 50:50
chance after a tie . yuh agree

[HL]

them can't gi Atlanta a break eeeh 'ssasan....

[Jangle]

I don't care who inna wi group if we get to play in Jamaica's backyard (The tri-state + the east coast) then I am sure we would qualify for the next rounds.

[wbvs]

I don't care who inna wi group if we get to play in Jamaica's backyard (The tri-state + the east coast) then I am sure we would qualify for the next rounds.

bredren if jamaica gets usa in its group that's a unlucky draw .