MLS Commissioner Don Garber has scheduled a visit to Sacramento on April 14 for his "first up-close tour of a planned stadium site in the downtown railyard and to meet with investors driving the city's campaign" to join MLS, according to Ryan Lillis of the SACRAMENTO BEE. The visit by Garber is seen as a "significant step in" USL club Sacramento Republic FC's two-year effort to "jump to MLS." Garber "will be joined" by MLS President & Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott. Republic FC Managing Partner Kevin Nagle said that Garber's visit "does not mean Sacramento's ascension to MLS in imminent," adding that he "does not expect the commissioner to approve the city's expansion bid during his visit." However, he said that the tour "is a major step." Lillis notes Republic FC and the city are developing plans for a $226M "privately financed soccer stadium in the northeast corner of the downtown railyard." While MLS has "not provided a precise timeline for expanding to 28 teams, the league's intention of adding four more teams is a boost to Sacramento, which is widely considered to be a front-runner for the next round of expansion" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/1).
