imradioboy
29 Jun 2004, 06:22 AM
From today's (6-29) Akron Beacon Journal:
CLEVELAND (AP) — A former business partner of Bert L. Wolstein said he will take over the late real estate developer’s proposal to build a $100 million publicly funded soccer stadium to lure a Major League Soccer expansion team in northeast Ohio.
Wolstein, who owned the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 1980s, died May 17 at his home in suburban Pepper Pike.
John McGill was Wolstein’s business partner at the Heritage Development Co. He said he’s close to getting more than 100 acres of land in Summit County needed for a 25,000-seat soccer-only stadium.
“I consider it to be still alive,” McGill said Monday. “We’re still working on a particular site.”
McGill did not identify the site. He said that if the land is acquired, he would then talk with Summit County officials about helping to finance the proposed stadium. McGill said most of the money for the stadium would come from the public.
“If those things come to reality, then the rest of it will come together,” McGill said.
Wolstein had insisted on a soccer-only stadium, saying that the franchise couldn’t make money without revenue from such sources as parking, signage and concessions.
McGill said he doesn’t know when a franchise might come to Northeast Ohio. The 10-team Major League Soccer is planning to expand, and had sent a letter of intent to Wolstein to bring a team to the region.
A spokesman for the league could not be reached for comment Monday.
CLEVELAND (AP) — A former business partner of Bert L. Wolstein said he will take over the late real estate developer’s proposal to build a $100 million publicly funded soccer stadium to lure a Major League Soccer expansion team in northeast Ohio.
Wolstein, who owned the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 1980s, died May 17 at his home in suburban Pepper Pike.
John McGill was Wolstein’s business partner at the Heritage Development Co. He said he’s close to getting more than 100 acres of land in Summit County needed for a 25,000-seat soccer-only stadium.
“I consider it to be still alive,” McGill said Monday. “We’re still working on a particular site.”
McGill did not identify the site. He said that if the land is acquired, he would then talk with Summit County officials about helping to finance the proposed stadium. McGill said most of the money for the stadium would come from the public.
“If those things come to reality, then the rest of it will come together,” McGill said.
Wolstein had insisted on a soccer-only stadium, saying that the franchise couldn’t make money without revenue from such sources as parking, signage and concessions.
McGill said he doesn’t know when a franchise might come to Northeast Ohio. The 10-team Major League Soccer is planning to expand, and had sent a letter of intent to Wolstein to bring a team to the region.
A spokesman for the league could not be reached for comment Monday.