Precourt Sports Ventures has "ruled out" Travis County Exposition Center as a possible MLS stadium site in Austin, leaving three viable site possibilities in the city should the Crew relocate there, according to Kevin Lyttle of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. PSV officials said that they "toured the Expo Center and researched it, but that the location, roughly 10 miles away from downtown, did not fit their needs for an urban-core facility with existing infrastructure and entertainment options." The Expo Center was "one of five city-owned stadium sites identified by city staff as potential locations" for PSV, which is "exploring a move to Austin" for the '19 season. Another site, a former Home Depot site at St. Johns Avenue and Interstate 35, has "all but fallen out of the running, as well." That leaves Butler Shores Metropolitan Park, Roy Guerrero Metropolitan Park and McKalla Place as the "three options for a potential stadium location" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 1/18).
NOT GIVING UP HOPE: In Columbus, Michael Arace wrote there will be "no clarity on a stadium site in Austin until at least mid-February." But there are "one or two parcels of land in the Arena District" in Columbus "at the ready, and there is power and wealth behind the effort to keep the Crew where it belongs." There also is the #SaveTheCrew movement, an "ever-growing consortium of thousands of people and hundreds of small businesses, bent on being heard." #SaveTheCrew co-Founder Morgan Hughes "remains indefatigable and hopeful." Arace: "I, for one, have learned not to dismiss this man." He has "excellent sources." He and his organizers also have done "impressive work keeping their Black & Gold train moving." Their website, savethecrew.com, is "brimming with content." They have a documentary as well called "Save the Crew: The Fans vs. The System." Also a #SaveTheCrew jersey will "soon be available." Arace: "I'm betting it will vastly outsell the new, league-issued 'Black Death' kit" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 1/17).
