Menu
Facilities

St. Paul Could Land Expansion MLS Club As Minneapolis Misses Deadline For Financing

MLS Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott on Wednesday said that St. Paul "will be considered as a site for a new outdoor soccer stadium" for NASL club Minnesota United FC, which will join the league in either '17 or '18, according to Andy Greder of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Abbott told ESPN Radio 1500 Twin Cities that he "will meet with Mayor Chris Coleman in the next few weeks to discuss prospects of bringing an expansion franchise" to the city. St. Paul's introduction comes after Minnesota United "failed to present financing plans to build a proposed stadium in downtown Minneapolis before the MLS-issued deadline Wednesday." United Owner Bill McGuire "couldn't obtain property tax and sales tax exemptions from the state Legislature in April to help build a privately financed" $150M stadium near Target Field. Abbott said, "As of (Wednesday), there is no a stadium plan, and you can't have a team without a stadium plan." During the introductory news conference, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that if a stadium financing plan "weren't in place by July 1, other markets, 'some of which with very detailed soccer-stadium plans,' could be considered instead" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/2).

NOT SO FAST: In Minneapolis, Kaszuba & Roper report two sites in St. Paul "are reportedly in the mix" as possible locations for the expansion club. While Abbott insisted that MLS "was not extending its deadline, he left the door open for Minneapolis to put together an 11th-hour bid to save the proposed downtown soccer stadium." Abbott’s comments also gave McGuire's investor group "time to shift gears and convince a new set of public officials to back a public subsidy package." Minneapolis City Council President Barb Johnson said that she "was not surprised by Wednesday’s developments," but added that MLS "should still look toward Minneapolis" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/2).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/07/02/Facilities/Minneapolis-MLS.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/07/02/Facilities/Minneapolis-MLS.aspx

CLOSE