A Cincinnati City Council committee today will vote on a "deal calling for a new soccer-specific venue to be built" for USL club FC Cincinnati in the Oakley neighborhood. The plan before the budget committee calls for an investment of $37M in "public money on stadium-related infrastructure." The club wants to build a 21,000-seat stadium as "part of an effort to bolster" its MLS expansion bid. But Oakley leaders "aren't happy about the lack of public input on the stadium plan," and the Oakey Community Council last night "rejected Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley's stadium funding plan" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/27).
Meanwhile, Hamilton County Commissioners today are "scheduled to discuss" the stadium, specifically the Greater Cincinnati Redevelopment Authority's potential involvement." Commissioner Todd Portune said that he is "open to the idea" of the port authority "having some involvement with the soccer stadium, but does not want the agency to own the venue." Portune on Friday said, "I am not against using the port's tools so long as the public is held harmless and so long as we never end up owning a stadium" (CINCINNATI.com, 11/25).
