News: Expansion: St. Louis Stadium Funding Dead After Vote Fails

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by flippin269, Apr 4, 2017.

  1. flippin269

    flippin269 Member+

    Aug 3, 2003
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    MLS stadium funding dead after Prop 1 passes, Prop 2 fails
    KSDK

    Plan to publicly fund soccer stadium voted down: Prop 1 to fund MetroLink passes
    KMOV

    Essentially, that might be the end of St. Louis' MLS bid. We might now be down to 11 cities left in the MLS expansion race.
     
  2. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Meanwhile Sacramento is ready to put shovels in the ground to build a privately funded soccer stadium downtown, like, tomorrow.
     
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  3. Nidal Baba Superstar

    Sep 20, 2006
    Far away
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Around 52% to 47% - close.

    Unfortunate for the fans there, but MLS will be fine without this town.
     
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  4. flippin269

    flippin269 Member+

    Aug 3, 2003
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I feel like Sacramento, then San Diego, are ready to be the next two expansions in that order. Detroit perhaps too if they're about to turn that jail site into a stadium instead. Unfortunate for St. Louis tho. Let's see if a plan B ever happens there.
     
  5. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Multi-millionaires have to stop begging the public for money to build their personal toys--in the current economic and political climate it will get shot down every time.
     
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  6. flippin269

    flippin269 Member+

    Aug 3, 2003
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ....which is why St. Louis doesn't have an MLS franchise.
     
  7. Kejsare

    Kejsare Member+

    Portland Timbers
    Mar 10, 2010
    Virginia
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True. And that is true even when the terms were quite decent for a public-private partnership when compared to previous iterations.
     
  8. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    A major consideration in expansion is geography. I do not believe California will get two of the next five spots. If any region gets two, I believe it will be the South.

    This is good news for Nashville and San Antonio, who in my opinion were the main competition in the same region as St Louis.
     
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  9. Lentil Soup with Beans

    Portland Thorns/Timbers
    Azerbaijan
    Mar 28, 2017
    The Dinner Table
    Dont think MLS will add two teams in cali at the same time most likely be Sac and Tampa/Cinc.

    24. Sacramento

    25. Tampa
    26. Cincinnati

    27. San Antonio
    28. San Diego




    so what is the latest on SD and why have they moved up the lists so high when they dont have a stadium yet?
     
  10. cleazer

    cleazer Member+

    May 6, 2003
    Toledo, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually in this case it would be 3 of the next 3 spots (LAFC, Sac, SD). Which does seem rather unlikely.

    That said, I don't think MLS is super concerned with maps right now. Cascadia, Atlanta, and imaginaryMiami were the map-fillers. I think right now they're going to take the best candidates. (Note: Cascadia and Atlanta were also the best candidates with solid business models and secure stadium plans too, not just map-fillers.)
     
  11. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Excellent point regarding LAFC.

    Geography is mentioned by Garber and the league as a consideration when talking expansion, which is why I think it is a consideration. For example:

    For another example:
    A desirable geographic location. Would San Diego and Sacramento both be considered in a desirable geographic location relative to other candidates? Granted, this is one of several considerations, but it is a consideration nonetheless.
     
  12. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    ...but it still works, so why not? All you have to do is look at the other big sports, especially football and MLB. Until folks do this consistently, and actually hold their politicians responsible for terrible deals, the attempts will continue to be made.

    Watching ESPN pass the buck on many of these extortion type deals...and then cry for the poor less fortunate types on more convenient, popular fronts is one of the reasons I stopped watching them a decade ago...even before the downturn. Hate the hypocrisy.
     
  13. Blong

    Blong Member+

    Oct 29, 2002
    Midwest, the real one.

    They've mentioned that the Central Time Zone is especially attractive to broadcasters. I believe St. Louis and San Antone are the only bidders ticking that box...
     
  14. okcomputer

    okcomputer Member

    Jun 25, 2003
    dc
    I thought this one while not the biggest money ask was especially sleazy. Tell the people living there they don't have to pay for it but tax things that other people outside the area use there. Also, taxing a ticket at the game is still a giveaway to the owners that people shouldnt have to pay. They are still giveaways to the rich owners paid by the average guy.
     
  15. scott47a

    scott47a Member+

    Seattle Sounders FC; Arsenal FC
    Feb 6, 2007
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I expect this news really helps San Antonio.

    Looking at weak attendance in Columbus despite a great team I think means Cincinnati is a non-starter.

    I expect Sacramento and San Antonio are in the lead now, basically ready to go stadiums and fan-bases.

    San Diego and Tampa seem the most likely to me after that.

    And of course some decision about Miami/Beckham has to be made.
     
  16. 30King

    30King Member+

    Jul 22, 2013
    Rocklin, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Depends on how they look at geography.

    The last round of expansion:
    2015- NYCFC
    2015- Orlando
    2017- Atlanta
    2017- Minny (originally Miami)

    Had everything gone according to plan back in 2013/14, three of the previous four expansion teams would have been in the South (which is/was underserved), and two from Florida.

    As the national map has filled up, the geographic "holes" everyone sees may not be as important to MLS as it pertains to media ratings, attendance, growth and sustained interest.

    MLS looks at the potential of a San Antonio or San Diego higher for sustained interest over a Nashville. The demographics and soccer metrics flesh out better. One thing I can tell you is that Spanish TV viewership is huuuge for MLS right now, with Sac, SD, SA and Tampa leading the way (Phoenix too, but don't think theyre a serious candidate).
     
  17. Nidal Baba Superstar

    Sep 20, 2006
    Far away
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nashville too.
     
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  18. Blong

    Blong Member+

    Oct 29, 2002
    Midwest, the real one.
    Well, that doesn't hurt their chances...
     
  19. Mateofelipe

    Mateofelipe Member+

    Mar 10, 2001
    Spokane, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why don't they just take the money from the other group that offered it? Why was MLS turning their nose up at that group? If they want St. Louis, that was a blunder. This was highly predictable.
     
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  20. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    They can be, but taken to its logical extreme, this statement would imply that your home mortgage is some kind of giveaway.

    Which is to say, you have to look at the details.
     
  21. Blong

    Blong Member+

    Oct 29, 2002
    Midwest, the real one.
    Because they were sabotaging their proposal???
     
  22. Mateofelipe

    Mateofelipe Member+

    Mar 10, 2001
    Spokane, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They offered to join in with it and remove the need for public funding. I would call that aiding, not sabotaging.
     
  23. Blong

    Blong Member+

    Oct 29, 2002
    Midwest, the real one.
    Well, as I remember it, they were very publicly accusing them of proposing a bad deal for taxpayers, and used the media to inform them of their "no-strings gift". I'm certain MLS was furious with the move.
     
  24. Tom Ado

    Tom Ado Member

    Jun 25, 2015
    I'm a bit wary of MLS going Midwestern-heavy on expansion. If we're factoring in demographics, projected population growth 20+ years down the road (especially in urban centers MLS covets) and filling out holes on the map, wouldn't Phoenix (372 miles from LA) or Raleigh (278 miles from DC) tick those boxes better than any current Midwestern market? The cities that were the back-bone of the formation of MLB, the NHL, NFL, etc. won't necessarily be the best options to build a league around looking into the 2020s and beyond.
     
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  25. Blong

    Blong Member+

    Oct 29, 2002
    Midwest, the real one.
    I think it's attractive due to broadcast times, for whatever reason...
     

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