St. Louis' bid for an MLS stadium on Thursday received a "surprising resuscitation" after a pair of votes from the city's Board of Alderman, according to a front-page piece by Mike Faulk of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The city’s $60M contribution to the downtown stadium, valued in total between $155-200M, was "first defeated 6-2 on Thursday." About an hour later, the bill was "amended to include" between $12.5-17M in "projected new revenue going into the city’s general fund over 30 years." The measure then passed 5-4. Two weeks ago the "soccer proposal before the board sought" $80M for a stadium. The current bill offers the city about $37M in "savings plus new money compared to the original." The new revenue sources include a 2.5% entertainment tax on ticket sales, projected between $7.5-12M, and $5M over 30 years to be "diverted to the city from a pre-existing tax district." That revenue "combined with other sales tax money generated by the future stadium have officials projecting a net gain over 30 years for the city’s investment." Other amendments to the stadium proposal include "securing a guarantee from the state that it will help facilitate the project." Private ownership group SC STL officials said that the state of Missouri has "communicated a 'path forward' on the plan, which may include preparing the land for construction and selling or leasing it to the city." St. Louis Alderman Christine Ingrassia said that the financing agreement between the city and SC STL "will be fine-tuned and possibly voted on by the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/27). In St. Louis, Tony Messenger writes, "Thursday could go down to be a historic day in St. Louis history." Bringing MLS to St. Louis after the loss of the Rams could "salve a gaping wound in the city’s sports psyche" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/27).
MISSED OPPORTUNITY? In Charlotte, Harrison, Henderson & Morrill in a front-page piece note with the Charlotte City Council "refusing -- for now -- to spend" $43.75M on a soccer stadium, it is unclear whether SMI President & CEO Marcus Smith will "continue his bid" to bring an MLS team to the city. While losing nearly $44M in city funding is a "blow, it’s not an insurmountable one." Earlier on Thursday, Mecklenburg County commissioners voted 5-3 for a plan that would "tear down Memorial Stadium" and the Grady Cole Center to make way for a new $175M MLS stadium. They also voted to spend $43.75M "toward construction, and on a financing plan in which the county would loan" Smith $75M. That money "would be paid back over 25 years." One question is if Smith and his father, SMI Exec Chair Bruton Smith, would "be willing to cover" the city’s $43.75M themselves. Or would they "continue to ask the city to help fund the stadium?" MLS has said that "interested cities must submit applications by midnight Jan. 31" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/27).
EVERYONE WANTS IN: In Nashville, Garrison & Rau in a front-page piece note Mayor Megan Barry is "proposing a new pro soccer stadium for The Fairgrounds Nashville that will be a crucial item" in a bid to bring MLS to the city. A price tag for the stadium is "not determined, and it’s unclear" whether the city’s USL franchise, Nashville SC, which "opens its first season next year, could play at the site" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 1/27). In Tampa, Charlie Frago noted Mayor Rick Kriseman traveled to N.Y. on Thursday and met with MLS Commissioner Don Garber for "about an hour," discussing the USL Tampa Bay Rowdies’ "bid to join MLS." Kriseman said that Garber was "impressed with the region’s television market and population base." Kriseman "emphasized St. Petersburg’s demographics -- a city getting younger and more diverse -- as a good fit for MLS" (TAMPABAY.com, 1/26). In Phoenix, Mike Sunnucks reported the city is "now in contention" for an MLS team, as the league has invited the USL Phoenix Rising FC to "put their hat in the ring for an expansion franchise" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/26).
DECISION LOOMING: MLS will initially review and vet the applications internally through its legal office before meeting with its expansion committee in the coming weeks. Members of that committee include Fire Owner Andrew Hauptman, Crew Owner Anthony Precourt, Revolution Owner Jonathan Kraft, Orlando City SC Owner Phil Rawlins and Union Owner Jay Sugarman. The committee, along with Garber, MLS Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott and other MLS execs will conduct in-person interviews with potential owners over the course of the first and second quarters of '17. It is expected that the league will announce two expansion teams for the '20 season in the late second or third quarter of this year. Later in the year, it is expected that the league will select the additional two expansion teams -- however, their entry date has not yet been announced (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer).
