FC Cincinnati Managing Owner & CEO Carl Lindner III officially welcomed former eBay and HP CEO Meg Whitman to the team's ownership group, and said that her involvement will help the club's "grand ambitions for the West End Stadium" ahead of its opening in '21, according to Sharon Coolidge of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. In recent months, the team has "added some new owners, but none as big as Whitman's family's commitment." Lindner "will remain majority owner." He said at yesterday's press conference, "My plans are to be the controlling owner for a long time. My family didn't spend this time ... and effort with the thought of selling the team quickly" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 12/10). Lindner said that Whitman and her family "have a lot to offer as Cincinnati seeks to become the 'heart of American soccer.'" THE ATHLETIC's Laurel Pfahler noted Lindner and Whitman "both declined to confirm Bloomberg's report" that Whitman and Dr. Griff Harsh contributed $100M to hold a 20% stake. However, Lindner said that the fact that Whitman's title is alternate governor "speaks to the size of her investment." Whitman had been "looking to get involved with a professional sports team and originally was exploring the possibility of joining Sacramento in its MLS expansion bid." But she said that Sacramento "didn't feel like the right situation," so she backed out in December '17 (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/09).
