St. Louis MLS team
| Founded | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Ground | Saint Louis MLS stadium |
| Owner | Paul Edgerley Jim Kavanaugh |
| League | Major League Soccer |
The St. Louis MLS team is a planned professional soccer team to be based in St. Louis, Missouri. The year the team is scheduled to join Major League Soccer (MLS) is pending a verbal agreement over stadium financing and location.[1] The ownership group will be headed by Paul Edgerley of Bain Capital, and vice chairman will be Jim Kavanaugh, the CEO of World Wide Technology.
History[edit]
St. Louis announced in late 2014 that it was planning a new stadium to host both American football and soccer.[2] Garber stated in January 2015 that: “St. Louis has got a lot of activity going on with a stadium that they’re trying to get done for the NFL Rams". There's a big soccer community out there and we'd love to see a soccer stadium downtown like they're thinking about a football stadium.[3]
In May 2015, Garber visited St. Louis to talk about a possible new multi-purpose stadium that would be capable of holding soccer games. Garber stated that "We really hope to be able to work with them," although he cautioned that any possible expansion to St. Louis would occur after 2020.[4]
On January 27, 2016, St. Louis lawmaker, Keith English proposed a bill that would put a tax of not more than one-tenth of one percent on the ballot in St. Louis and St. Louis County, it also calls for the RSA to oversee the soccer stadium.[citation needed] That money could only be earmarked if a team signs a 30-year lease with the authority. The proposed tax would only go into effect if MLS awards a team to St. Louis by December 20, 2020. There is also a proposal to build a soccer-specific stadium south of Union Station. On February 17, 2016, the MLS2STL group was formed to bring a MLS team to the St. Louis area in addition the group will work with the staff and select members from the St. Louis Sports Commission to market assessments for a potential team owner(s), including exploring stadium sites, funding options and overall viability of St. Louis as a possible home of a MLS expansion team.[5] The relocation of the NFL's Rams to Los Angeles from St. Louis has helped fueled the talks of an MLS expansion team.[6]
Previously, Jeff Cooper had twice attempted in 2008 and 2009 to bring an MLS expansion team to St. Louis, only to have both bids turned down in favor of other cities. Despite approved stadium plans to build the $600 million Collinsville Soccer Complex, MLS was not impressed with the bid's financial backing and suggested Cooper expand his group of investors.[citation needed] Cooper instead launched a second division men's club and a Women's Professional Soccer franchise. AC St. Louis played only one season in Division 2 averaging 2,750 fans during the 2010 season before folding,[7][self-published source?] and the Saint Louis Athletica folded midway through its second season in 2010.
As of 2018, no progress has been made.
References[edit]
- ↑ Clancy, Sam. "MLS reaches verbal agreement to bring expansion team to St. Louis". KDSK News Channel 5. National Broadcasting Company. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Saint Louis is set to huddle on stadium". New York Times. November 5, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ↑ "Don Garber Says MLS Could Be Heading To St. Louis". MLS Multiplex. January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
- ↑ "MLS Commissioner Don Garber meets with St. Louis officials to discuss future expansion", MLSsoccer.com, Dan Itel, May 19, 2015.
- ↑ "St. Louis group formed to attract MLS expansion franchise". The State Journal-Register. February 17, 2016.
- ↑ "MLS Commissioner Don Garber talks St. Louis expansion with Sports Illustrated". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
- ↑ Quarstad, Brian (January 17, 2011). "AC St. Louis Closes its Doors for Good". IMS Soccer News.
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