The deadline to file an application for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise came and went on Wednesday evening, with seven cities spanning Canada and the United States officially submitting bids to land one of the next two teams in the burgeoning league. The league is expected to announce its decision on a pair of expansion cities by early next year.
Here’s a one-by-one look at what we know about each city’s plan. After reading what each location has in store for MLS, make your opinion known about which cities would be best for professional soccer at this moment by voting in our poll to the right.
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Atlanta: Led by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, AMB Group’s bid calls for a 20,000-seat stadium to be the centerpiece of a ‘sports-and-entertainment center [and] a community resource for soccer enthusiasts at various levels of play throughout the region.’
Preliminary discussions have been held with Kennesaw State University, located 25 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. Wesley Wicker, executive director of the KSU Foundation, disclosed that the University has held extensive discussions with Cobb County and Blank’s group over a 50-acre tract of land east of I-75, a site that could potentially house the stadium project.
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Miami: European superclub FC Barcelona has thrown their massive weight behind a southern Florida entry to expand their brand, partnering with businessman Marcelo Claure to bring a Miami team back to MLS. Claure is the owner of Brightstar, a $5 billion communications company that is also the largest Hispanic-owner company in the U.S.
A home venue for the potential club has already been identified: Florida International University’s stadium, which was built to be suitable for both college football and professional soccer. The ownership group has struck a three-year deal with the university for the right to play at the stadium should they be granted a team, with a two-year option to follow.
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Montreal: Following Toronto FC’s induction into the league in 2007, the secret was let out: Canada is a true hotbed for soccer in North America. Businessman Joey Saputo (owner of the USL’s Montreal Impact) and George Gillett (part-owner of Liverpool FC) hope to tap into TFC’s success by getting a professional team in Quebec.
The Impact currently boast the USL’s best home attendance, averaging 12,696 fans per game in 2008. The club plays in Stade Saputo, a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of 13,034, which could easily be expanded to fit MLS specifications.
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Ottawa: Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melynk first went public with his plans to land an MLS franchise in mid-September, and officially submitted a bid before the deadline. His ambitious plan calls for a 30,000-seat, $100-million stadium in Kanata, just to the southwest of the city, that would have seating on three sides and a built-in stage for potential concerts and other events that would bring in extra revenue.
Perhaps most importantly to soccer purists in the region, the new stadium would have a natural grass surface, something that Toronto FC doesn’t have. BMO Field’s synthetic surface has scared away more than its fair share of potential signings, due to the reputation of creating more wear and tear on an athlete’s body than a natural surface.
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Portland: In the Pacific Northwest, another USL owner has aspirations of graduating to the major leagues, as Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson has submitted a bid to bring an expansion team Oregon. The Timbers currently play in PGE Park, which would undergo a $40 million upgrade if Paulson is awarded a team. The proposal would also require another $35 million to build a new stadium for the Portland Beavers, a minor-league baseball club that currently shares PGE Park with the Timbers.
In addition, an MLS club in Portland would have an instant rivalry with their neighbors to the north, as Seattle has been granted their own expansion franchise to begin play in 2009. From Wikipedia: ‘The two club supporters groups, Timbers Army & Emerald City Supporters, have an extreme distaste for each other, which dates back from when the Timbers entered the league in 2001.’
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St. Louis: Local businessman Jeff Cooper has been trying for years to get an MLS franchise in St. Louis, but has been rebuffed in the past by the league for not having enough deep-pocketed investors behind the project. Perhaps this time is the charm for Cooper’s group – St. Louis Soccer United – whose plan calls for a $400-million, 18,500-seat stadium and mixed-use development in nearby Collinsville.
In January of this year, the Collinsville City Council approved a tax increment financing (TIF) plan to help funding of the development, which remains a major hurdle in most markets. Cooper insists that groundbreaking on the new stadium can occur as soon as Major League Soccer gives the St. Louis area a team.
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Vancouver: The third and final Canadian city to apply for an expansion franchise, Vancouver’s chances are boosted by the names behind the plan. Phoenix Suns player Steve Nash, Vancouver Whitecaps (USL) owner Greg Kerfoot, and former president and COO of Yahoo Jeff Mallett are teaming up in an attempt to bring MLS to Canada’s western coast.
The Whitecaps, who won the 2008 USL Championship just last weekend, call cozy Swangard Stadium home, but are planning to move to 59,000-seat B.C. Place Stadium after the 2010 Winter Olympics. The club, boasting Nash’s brother Martin on its roster, is also pursuing a 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium which would match MLS specifications for a potential expansion city.
“We’re anxious to move forward with online opportunities,” said Doug Hicks, D.C. United’s vice president of communications. “We feel the best way to brand and communicate with our fans is to do it ourselves.”
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