St. Louis voters yesterday "rejected funding" for a 22,000-seat MLS stadium downtown but "approved a companion ballot measure imposing a half-cent sales tax increase for expanding" the city's MetroLink light rail system, according to a front-page piece by Mike Faulk of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The public financing plan for the soccer stadium "lost by 3,000 votes," with 47% of voters supporting it and 53% opposed. About 60% of voters "approved the MetroLink sales tax increase." Both propositions "needed to pass in order to fund the stadium." MLS Exec VP/Communications Dan Courtemanche said the defeat of the proposed MLS stadium funding was "clearly a significant setback for the city's expansion opportunity and a loss for the community." Tortoise Capital Advisors co-Founder Terry Matlack, a member of the SC STL ownership group, said, "It's unlikely St. Louis ever gets an MLS team now." But MLS in a statement "didn't rule out St. Louis' expansion bid." However, MLS Commissioner Don Garber last week said that if the stadium plan was defeated, St. Louis "would not get a team" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/5). Stadium proponents said that the rejected plan to contribute some $60M to the downtown facility is a "fatal blow" to bringing a franchise to the city. In St. Louis, Jacob Kirn noted the approved sales tax increase could generate $20M annually and could be "used for public safety cameras, neighborhood development and a MetroLink expansion starter fund." SC STL spent more than $1.14M through a PAC on both propositions, "promising jobs for the city, massive private investment and a big return on public investment" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/4). SC STL Vice Chair Jim Kavanaugh said that the group is now "likely to disband and abandon its plan." Kavanaugh: "It's time to move on" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/4).
LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE: In San Diego, Showley & Weisberg in a front-page piece note proponents of the SoccerCity initiative to redevelop the Qualcomm Stadium site yesterday said that they will "seek to put the measure before voters this fall." San Diego-based FS Investors said that it will ask the City Council to "place the proposal on an expected Nov. 7 ballot rather than ask for outright approval of the billion-dollar plan." It would "appear on the same ballot as a measure, announced Monday, to raise the hotel-room tax to expand the San Diego Convention Center and generate funds for homeless programs and road improvements." The SoccerCity decision came after Garber told FS Investors that MLS "will not select which new franchises will be chosen among 12 bidders until after San Diego votes." The league’s statement suggests that a November vote would still give MLS "adequate time to keep San Diego in the running for one of the two expansion team slots this year" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/5).
SURVEY SAYS: In Detroit, John Gallagher in a front-page piece notes Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert's Rock Ventures is "upping the ante" in its bid for a potential MLS stadium at the Wayne County jail site in downtown Detroit. Rock Ventures yesterday released an economic-impact study by Univ. of Michigan analysts, "claiming its vision" will create $2.4B in new development. By contrast, the study found that "finishing the jail project on its current site" off Gratiot Avenue would create just $352M in economic impact. Wayne County Exec Warren Evans "immediately dismissed the study as meaningless to his decision on whether to accept Gilbert's proposals" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/5). In Michigan, Dana Afana wrote under the header, "County Not Swayed By Economic Study On Detroit Soccer Stadium" (MLIVE.com, 4/4).
