In St. Louis, Mike Faulk notes Missouri Circuit Court Judge Michael Mullen on Thursday "paved the way for St. Louis to vote on funding a soccer stadium, bolstering hopes of attracting" an MLS franchise. Mullen ordered a "related ballot proposition, a half-cent sales tax increase" to fund the city's MetroLink expansion, to "appear on the April 4 ballot with the MLS proposal." Soccer stadium supporters "need both measures to be approved by city voters, because the MetroLink sales tax increase would trigger a corresponding increase in the city's business use tax on out-of-state purchases." The new revenue from that increase "would fund" most of the city's $60M stadium funding commitment (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 2/10).
POPULAR PICK: The Univ. of Missouri System Board of Curators on Thursday approved the hiring of K.C.-based Populous to "design a new football facility in the south end zone at Memorial Stadium." The proposed renovation, which still would "need final board approval at the June meeting to proceed to construction," has been among first-year MU AD Jim Sterk’s "top priorities since his arrival in August" (K.C. STAR, 2/10).
NOT SEEING EYE-TO-EYE: The Vikings are looking to "add permanent fencing all the way around U.S. Bank Stadium in the name of better security, but the plan may not make it past the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority." Temporary security fences were "already a mainstay outside US Bank Stadium last season." The team and stadium operator SMG are "looking to expand parking lot fencing." The MSFA "opposes that idea." MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen said, "We hold the position that the stadium needs to be connected to the neighborhoods both visually and in fact" (KARE11.com, 2/8).
NESTING SEASON? The Maryland Stadium Authority is "holding out hope" the Orioles will be the new tenant at the historic Camden Station. Orioles Exec VP John Angelos said that the team would also like to see something in the space that "ties into the Warehouse at Camden Yards and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, both next door." Stadium Authority Chair Thomas Kelso said that they have been "slow to act as the Orioles are the 'ideal tenant.'" However, the Orioles "haven't had a purpose for the space up to this point." Kelso said that the Stadium Authority would like to "see the space better incorporated with the game day experience next door in the ballpark" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/9).
