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MLS in "preliminary discussions" over expansion franchise in Las Vegas
Posted on 7/23/14 at 1:35 pm
Posted on 7/23/14 at 1:35 pm
quote:
A spokesman for the initiative to bring an MLS franchise in Las Vegas certainly thinks so, telling soccer supporters recently that bringing a team to the city is “really, really possible” and adding that Las Vegas is on the league’s short list for a potential future franchise.
The comments came after a recent visit to Las Vegas by league president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott, who met with Mayor Carolyn Goodman and other city officials, toured downtown and got a sense of how MLS might work in Las Vegas.
A league spokesman confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Monday that Las Vegas is in the picture for a future franchise, but there is no short list of future markets under consideration.
“We are in preliminary discussions with a potential ownership group for an expansion team in Las Vegas,” the spokesman said. “Also, there is no short list of potential expansion cities. There are many cities interested in bringing a future MLS expansion team to their market."
Justin Findlay is the managing partner of Las Vegas-based Findlay Sports and Entertainment, a company founded earlier this year with the vision of bringing an MLS franchise to Las Vegas by 2017.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said last summer that the league intends to expand to 24 teams by 2020, and MLS has since awarded expansion franchises to Orlando (2015) and Atlanta (2017). The league also added New York City (2015) and is awaiting a solidified stadium plan to award a franchise to Miami (2017), leaving one market remaining for the 24-team threshold.
“Hearing right from the horse's mouth, this is really a possibility,” Findlay told a crowd on Saturday. “We just have to convert on our plan. There are no reasons why these big, big dreams can’t happen.”
Findlay’s group and Baltimore-based real estate developer Cordish Companies went public in May with their plans to develop a 24-000 seat open-ended stadium in downtown Las Vegas (above) that will feature artificial turf, a retractable roof and air-conditioning ducts every three rows in the stands to combat sweltering summertime temps in Las Vegas.
The stadium site is located on the 61-acre Symphony Park, roughly six miles north of the heart of the Strip, the city’s famed row of iconic hotels and casinos on Las Vegas Blvd.
The project is estimated to cost between $150-200 million – substantially more than the reported $110 million price tag for Orlando’s new downtown stadium, set to open in 2016 – and is expected to require partial public funding.
The group has until Sept. 1 to come up with its stadium financing plan and will seek approval from the Las Vegas City Council in order to move forward. If the plan is approved, the group expects to hear from MLS by the end of the year.
LINK
This post was edited on 7/23/14 at 1:36 pm
Posted on 7/23/14 at 1:44 pm to Dr RC
This is bad. Vegas does not need a sports team. There just isn't a stable enough permanent population to make it viable. Besides, MLS really needs to be careful with such a rapid expansion. There is nothing about this that seems responsible and good for MLS.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 1:47 pm to DoreonthePlains
quote:
There is nothing about this that seems responsible and good for MLS.
well neither is putting another team in Miami or wanting their stadium to be right next to the ocean.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 1:56 pm to DoreonthePlains
quote:Thinking the same thing. Transitory fan base: How would that work?
a stable enough permanent population to make it viable.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:03 pm to Dalosaqy
Please let it be Chivas Las Vegas
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:42 pm to Dr RC
quote:
well neither is putting another team in Miami or wanting their stadium to be right next to the ocean.
I don't think Miami is the best location either, but if that's what Beckham wants then he's going to get it. If it flops, it'll be on him to move it. If someone in Vegas is wanting to bring a team there, it's much more of a mess if it flops and needs to be relocated.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:43 pm to DoreonthePlains
There is a reason Las Vegas doesn't have any kind of professional team. I'm not sure why but it sounds like people don't live in Vegas for long periods of time.
MLS needs to stick to cities where pro teams typically survive and whatever cities show a strong soccer fan base. I can't imagine the soccer following in Vegas would justify an MLS franchise.
MLS needs to stick to cities where pro teams typically survive and whatever cities show a strong soccer fan base. I can't imagine the soccer following in Vegas would justify an MLS franchise.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:43 pm to Dr RC
quote:
well neither is putting another team in Miami or wanting their stadium to be right next to the ocean.
It would be better for the MLS to put two teams in Miami than one team in Las Vegas.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:53 pm to pvilleguru
I'd rather a team go to Minneapolis or St. Louis or Detroit or Ottawa or any number of cities which have, at times, shown great support for the sport.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:55 pm to DoreonthePlains
quote:
but if that's what Beckham wants then he's going to get it.
No, he's not. The only "public" land the city is offering him is next to Marlins park in Little Havana. As someone who has disposable income and lives in Palm Beach County that place is a graveyard for me and many others in my situation.
Broward County is lobbying the hell out of Beckham because MLS and Beckham want nothing to do with Little Havana.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 2:56 pm to crazy4lsu
At this point San Antonio is never getting into MLS, despite having a better stadium than many current MLS teams.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:17 pm to Dr RC
I suppose they expect the casinos to buy up all those boxes and some seats.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:18 pm to Dr RC
How many successful non-major metro MLS teams is it going to take before MLS realizes the growth for soccer is not the most popular cities in the USA?
KC, Portland, Salt Lake, etc. Bring MLS to cities craving pro sports and do it right. It will work.
KC, Portland, Salt Lake, etc. Bring MLS to cities craving pro sports and do it right. It will work.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:22 pm to Boomtown
quote:
No, he's not.
I meant from the standpoint of getting what he wants from MLS. If any other ownership group were having these issues, MLS would have cracked down on them. Beckham is getting a ton of leeway from MLS though. Whether he can get what he wants from Miami is another story. Sorry for the confusion.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:23 pm to Tennessee Jed
quote:
Nashville please
I second this.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:31 pm to crazy4lsu
quote:
St. Louis
A great sports town with solid soccer support. Would much prefer to Vegas.
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:44 pm to DoreonthePlains
quote:
Whether he can get what he wants from Miami is another story.
At this point i'd be more surprised if Beckham sticks with the Miami/Broward County franchise instead of taking an ownership stake in Chivas.
It's not like the streets are packed with fans demanding an MLS team down here. *Bleeping* Miami people
Posted on 7/23/14 at 3:59 pm to Boomtown
I think Nashville, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Richmond, and San Antonio would all be 100x better than Las Vegas
ETA: Austin would also be a better choice
ETA: Austin would also be a better choice
This post was edited on 7/23/14 at 4:00 pm
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