Public Speaks Out on Charlotte MLS Stadium Proposal
CHARLOTTE, NC — A deal too good to pass up? Or a major misuse of taxpayer dollars?
Mecklenburg County commissioners let the public weigh in Tuesday on a proposal for a new stadium that could help Charlotte land a Major League Soccer team.
“I can’t support the construction of a new stadium, because it seems a poor use of limited tax dollars,” Pepper Hair told the board of commissioners during the forum.
“It’s not used, and so therefore, it’s not maintained,” said soccer fan Jesse Newsom of Memorial Stadium. “And it’s not maintained, so it’s therefore not used. And it’s in a vicious cycle of neglect.”
Opinions were split during the only public forum before Mecklenburg County commissioners will vote on a $175 million stadium proposal that would demolish historic Memorial Stadium, and the adjacent Grady Cole Center, then build a new, state-of-the-art facility.
Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte would each pony up close to $44 million. An ownership group fronted by Speedway Motorsports Marcus Smith would cover the rest.
But the proposal would have to be approved before a Major League Soccer deadline of January 31st.
“The timing that we were given by MLS was announced in mid-December, and it was new to everybody,” Smith told the board. “So we didn’t; it’s not our timing.”
That timing has been a sore spot for city council members and county commissioners. The city plans to hold its own public forum Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
“A soccer stadium is not a community need, but a want,” said stadium opponent John Divine. “Now why should wants win out over basic community needs.”
Some tout the economic impact and prestige Major League Soccer could bring to Charlotte.
Others feel the league is trying to leverage the city, and that those millions of dollars could be better used.
“Let’s ask for equity in housing,” said stadium opponent Angela Ambroise. “Let’s reduce the cost of that land so we can provide more affordable housing, so some of these people in these neighborhoods would have opportunity, and a place to go.”
County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the proposal at the beginning of their budget retreat on Thursday.
Major League Soccer plans to add two teams by 2020. Charlotte is one of 10 cities the league has identified as potential franchise destinations. Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa-St. Petersburg are also in contention.
But league sources tell me MLS wants one of the two teams to be in the Southeast, which would narrow down Charlotte’s competition.
