Prospective MLS expansion group SC STL is waiting anxiously to see if the St. Louis Board of Aldermen can decide on a public funding proposal for an MLS stadium in the city's downtown in time for the measure to be voted on by the public in April.
Local politicians could not reach agreement on the public component, now comprising $60 million in public funds, of the $200 million stadium plan during a contentious Ways and Means Committee meeting on Thursday, leaving the plan "on life support," in the words of Chairman Stephen Conway.
The bill must pass the full Board of Aldermen by Tuesday to make the April 4 ballot. If it does not pass by Tuesday, the next chance for a stadium proposal to be up for a ballot vote would be in August, potentially hurting the city's chances to be included in the next round of MLS expansion. Backers could alternately seek a court ruling extending the deadline by which the proposal can be added to the ballot.
Noting that time is of the essence, local baseball icon Joe Buck expressed his support for the initiative on Twitter:
“The delay was disappointing, but if the purpose of the delay is so that everyone can dig into the contents of the financing agreement between now and Monday, then that’s completely understandable,” SC STL spokesperson Jim Woodcock told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That should be good for all parties.”
The measure would allocate roughly $60 million in new tax revenue towards an MLS stadium to be built adjacent to the city's Union Station, a decrease from a previous proposal calling for a contribution from the city of $80 million. The state of Missouri would contribute land for the project, after new Missouri Governor Eric Greitens ruled out public state funding for a stadium.
SC STL is hoping to become one of the organizations that lands a new MLS team during upcoming rounds of expansion, which will see the league grow to 28 teams. Other cities and markets in the running are Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, and Tampa/St. Petersburg.
Interested prospective MLS owners have until Jan. 31 to submit an expansion application to the league.
