Voters could bring the MLS to St. Louis with soccer stadium vote

[TexasTowelie]

ST. LOUIS • Investors asking for $60 million in public money to help build a Major League Soccer stadium say they have broad regional support, but they’re only cautiously optimistic the vote will pass.

That’s because when the money question gets settled at the ballot box April 4, only city voters get to make the decision. That has supporters expecting a close vote in what they call a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring big league soccer to the River City.

“I’m sure it will be close,” said Paul Edgerley, lead investor of the ownership group SC STL. “That’s why we want to get the message out this is about more than just sports.”

They won the support of labor unions with the promise of creating about 500 construction jobs and an additional 450 permanent jobs working for the franchise. SC STL and city aldermen supporting the effort say the $60 million investment will net the city $77 million in general revenue over 30 years.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/voters-could-bring-the-mls-to-st-louis-with-soccer/article_e4e820be-46c8-51ac-b278-2cd3f0831136.html

[shenmue]

1. Cool

[pangaia]

2. Sorry.. NO public money for sports.

Give it to the arts, especially classical music entities..... That way you get something of redeeming social value in return.

Sports is just... entertainment.

[gordianot]

4. Yes

[gordianot]

3. Local Sports media commentators promote public money.

This will solve all of the St. Louis problems

[msongs]

5. let the corporate jocks pay for their own stadiums. no taxpayer $$

[Luka Boyd]

6. We had soccer teams before

We had soccer teams before and they werent supported. This is a baseball town, nobody cares about soccer. If the team owners think this is such a surefire money making proposition let them fund the stadium. We let the Rams go rather than build them a new stadium using public funds. I dont believe that having a soccer team will benefit the average citizen in St. Louis to justify the tax expenditure, unless you are a restaurant / bar owner or will sell merchandise.