San Diego City Council members yesterday voted unanimously to "send the SoccerCity proposal to voters" in November '18 instead of "holding a special election this November or adopting the proposal without a public vote," according to a front-page piece by David Garrick of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Supporters of a special election this November yesterday said that delaying the vote until '18 "sharply reduces the city’s chances of getting one of four new franchises" that MLS is planning to award. Those proponents also "contend that without the SoccerCity project the Qualcomm Stadium site will become a decaying eyesore that will sit empty for many years as competing factions fight over it and city officials conduct lengthy studies." The council majority, however, said that presenting the proposal to voters during the November '18 general election "made the most sense based on high voter turnout, significantly lower costs than a special election and the time needed to find a way to include San Diego State in any redevelopment of the site." While yesterday’s decision "doesn’t completely shut the door" on the November '17 special election that investors proposing SoccerCity have requested, only two of the council’s nine members "expressed support for making such a move." Yesterday was the "third time in two weeks that the council has voted against having a special election this November." Recent polls "show support for SoccerCity, but strong opposition to special elections" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/20). SOCCER AMERICA's Paul Kennedy notes Landon Donovan, who "played an active role" in FS Investors effort to win approval for SoccerCity, was "one of many soccer supporters to appear before the San Diego city council" yesterday (SOCCERAMERICA.com, 6/20).
DRAGGING YOUR FEET: In San Diego, Kevin Acee writes SoccerCity "can be considered all but dead." The city held an election on a measure that would have "kept the Chargers in town that everyone knew wasn’t going to pass." And now, San Diego "probably won’t allow a meaningful election on a measure that seems to have a pretty good chance of passing" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/20). Also in San Diego, Tod Leonard wrote Sacramento, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Phoenix and Cincinnati have "seemingly strengthened their positions" as future MLS markets since January. Detroit, Nashville and San Antonio are "fully viable, with hurdles to overcome." Four others -- Indianapolis, Charlotte, Raleigh and St. Louis -- "appear to be dribbling a flat soccer ball" (SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, 6/17).
