Elizabeth Residents Hope City Brings MLS to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – “We like the idea of the activity of a MLS team in the neighborhood, the activity that economic activity will bring,” said Paul Shipley, President of the Elizabeth Community Association.

Paul Shipley is president of the Elizabeth Community Association where Memorial Stadium and Grady Cole Center sit practically vacant.

“The stadium is a hole right now, nothing is done there, very few events,” said Shipley.

Shipley says the neighborhood has taken two surveys when stadium renovation came up last year and then again in January.

“When the MLS bid came up we re-surveyed the neighborhood over 1,000 people, 20 percent of the neighborhood and we were three to one in favor,” said Shipley.

Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports is trying to bring the mls franchise to Charlotte and a grassroots group called MLS4CLT  has started a petition that hundreds have signed in support.

“There is a lot of interest we have heard from people in the community we have a lot of parents who have kids who play soccer,” said Mayor Jennifer Roberts.

Mayor Roberts says the city’s original commitment needed was $40 million, which right now falls short in the city’s budget for sports projects.

“The capacity that we have is about 30 million dollars and so that is not the original arrangement we heard from the county and from the Smith family, ” said Roberts.

Shipley says more important to neighbors than soccer is maintaining Independence Park  which the county just approved  nearly $6 million for in the capital budget.

“What we’re hoping will come out of this is a more intentional plan on how to protect the park and expand it’s green space ,” said Shipley.

City Council’s Economic Development Committee will discuss the issue in July and then bring it in front of the full council in August.
The County Commission is also expected to again discuss MLS soccer in August.