Vacillating on the Deadline

[Joe Stoker]

For your consideration:

www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1080559813224690.xml

No ballot issue is right. Keep this out of the hands of the proletariat, the great unwashed. Heaven forbid such a thing benefit the schools (property tax is how we do it in Ohio). Back-door politics at its finest. End-runs belong in pointy-ball, not soccer. Classic 'Stein. The man of his word.

Go Browns (as far as soccer's concerned, anyway).

[metros11]

This is becoming to sound like a broken record...

[Bleacherbutt]

Can we file this one under "Toddler holding breath as a threat"?

[tigersoccer2005]

I really dont understand Mr. Wolstein. If the NY Jets are willing to pony up $800 million for the construction of their stadium---why does Wolstein insist on burdening the public with the majority of the cost of this stadium. Shouldn't he be willing topay for the majority of the stadium when it is clear that he will be the principal beneficiary? To me the situation appears to be very clear--no one in cleveland is opposed to the stadium per se, they just cant seem to afford one right now.If Wolstein wants an MLS team that badly then let him prove how badly he wants it--let him pay for a large portion of it. I think its unfair of Wolstein to insist that the people of the Cleveland metro area give him what amounts to a "free gift" and throw tantrums when he sees that things aren't going his way. I could be wrong but I will step out on a limb and say that if Wolstein had made a bigger contribution from his own pocket--the project would have already been approved by the appropriate city authorities and we'd be at the most a few months away from groundbreaking.

[Crewmudgeon]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Wolstein isn't interested in investing in MLS, he's interested in developing real estate, especially if he can get someone else to pay for it. I am not surprised that he is not sticking to his self imposed deadline. If you could fleece the public coffers for $90 mil would you quiblbe over a date? I just wish MLS would give him a deadline. If he makes it great; if he doesn't move on. I feel the league owes its fans in northeast Ohio that. Why should I continue to drive 135 miles to Columbus to support the Crew if there's going to be an expansion team just down the road?

[Joe Stoker]

Well put, Crewmudgeon. Wolstein's m.o. brings to mind something I read posted elsewhere by Jamison... something about "people richer (financially) than us using (soccer) to make money for themselves by taking it from the rest of us."

When one reads of the origins of some of the great clubs (Glasgow Celtic immediately comes to mind) Wolstein's efforts at establishing a pro team in Cleveland are shameful by comparison. But we're talking soccer with a respect for the game we love, and he's obviously talking personal real estate development at public expense. It would create plenty of jobs... minimum-wage jobs. No property taxes to help the schools. But plenty of high school football at his golden-goose emporium even if the soccer team folds (again). I second the motion that MLS put a deadline on this dog & pony show. It's becoming very unflattering for the league and the game in the eyes and ears of the general public.

Tigersoccer, those of us who've been around since at least '88 understand Mr. Wolstein fairly well. We've found his attitude towards soccer and soccer fans disrespectful and insulting. Even to the general public (the very sheep he needs for fleecing) he comes across in print as petulant and crafty. And now he returns to try to put it over on a new generation. IMO, the man uses soccer like HMO's use the underprivileged. Shameful.