Austin City Council members will vote Aug. 9 on a deal that could see the Crew relocate from ColumbusGETTY IMAGES
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that conversations with the city of Columbus are "'ongoing' to determine a path forward" should the Crew "relocate to Austin," according to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.com. The Austin City Council has "scheduled a vote for Aug. 9 in order to determine if the city will accept a deal" with Precourt Sports Ventures to build a privately financed, $200M, 20,000-seat stadium at McKalla Place. Garber said, "There's not much we can really say or do until the city council determines their view. I would hope (for) their approval on working with (PSV) on the McKalla site." Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the city of Columbus also remain in litigation regarding a state law that would "require PSV to give notice of six months before it can move as well as give local investors the opportunity to purchase the team." But Garber said that he has sent President & Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott to Columbus on "multiple occasions to see if there was a way forward." An MLS spokesperson added that Abbott's "most recent visits took place 'in the last 4-6 weeks.'" Garber: "I'm hopeful that we'll come up with a resolution that's going to be good for the city, good for ownership, good for the Crew and good for the fans." A spokesperson for Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's office said Abbott "has not met with any members" of Ginther's administration. The spokesperson added, "He has met with the Columbus Partnership to explore options for private investors and local investors to keep the Crew in Columbus. To my knowledge there were no conversations about the Crew leaving Columbus" (ESPN.com, 7/30).
NOT ON THE SAME PAGE: In Austin, Kevin Lyttle notes Mayor Steve Adler is "strongly in favor" of the deal with PSV for the McKalla Place site, even though City Council Member Leslie Pool yesterday "bashed the potential deal." Adler said, “I could support it as is. The items that were a concern to me were among the 20 or 30 in the list for the resolution that the council passed. PSV responded to those." But Pool said, “This is not a deal I would support. My initial takeaway about the term sheet is surprise and disappointment. It is still a massive giveaway of taxpayer dollars to a private corporation" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 7/31).
