North American Pro Soccer 2017

[BlackBolt3]

Every candidate has some amount of baggage now? Although San Diego still might get one, whoever gets a spot is gonna have to work out some serious issues.

[HedleyLamarr]

Atlanta United has released their revised schedule this afternoon, thanks to the delays in building Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  The team will have eight games played there, beginning September 10th vs FC Dallas.

 

But damn is their schedule backloaded as hell.  As a result of the amended docket, the team has a stretch of 8 games in 24 days, 7 of which are at home.  This team is gonna be on fumes towards the end of the season, which will likely squash their chances of making the playoffs or, should they get in, be ousted in the first round.

[Digby]

This whole stadium affair with Atlanta is crazy and pretty low-rent to me. I realize it's a tough situation, but this level of scheduling acrobatics done mid-season seems especially unfortunate for Atlanta but affects their opponents as well. But a backfilled schedule to finish a stadium seems like a rite of passage for MLS teams at this point (see also: SKC, TFC, probably others). I get the reasoning but it does not make for good balance for a team at all.

[dfwabel]

Meanwhile on the other side of the country...

 

Quote

 

On Wednesday, Beckham representatives returned to the Overtown YWCA for a town hall to pitch residents on the stadium plan, nearly 18 months after a similar event in the same place on the same topic.

“My apologies for bringing you back here again,” said Tim Leiweke, a veteran sports and events executive who is Beckham’s top negotiator. “We have had issues. We have had bumps in the road.”

 

With an investor on board, L.A. Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, the Beckham group is ready to buy the county land for $9 million under a no-bid deal using the state’s economic-development laws. As part of the deal, the Beckham group promised to create 50 permanent jobs at the stadium. Half would be required to pay Miami-Dade’s living wage of about $15 an hour.

“This is, frankly, I believe our last opportunity here for Miami to have Major League soccer,” said Carlos Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade County.

 

The town hall was demanded by Audrey Edmonson, the Miami-Dade commissioner who represents Overtown. As the resident commissioner, her support is considered a green light for county approval during a vote expected on June 6. She sounded supportive before the overflow crowd, defending the stadium as a good way to bring some added employment to one of Miami’s poorest neighborhoods.

“I heard some groans when it came to 50 jobs,” Edmonson said. “Guaranteeing 50 permanent jobs, that is a lot of jobs when it comes down to a stadium. … Believe me, I had a difficult time getting that out of them.”

 

 

 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

At least they're honest about job creation.  I don't know why they wouldn't have also included day-of jobs as well.

 

And shame on anyone taking credit for paying minimum wage. Pay more and then we can talk.

[neo_prankster]

Talks between SDSU and Soccer City break down...

 

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/SDSU-Distances-Itself-from-Soccer-City-Planning-Group-422780064.html

 

Did the Aztecs just take their ball and go home or what? Will the Pac-12 please get off their high horse and just let SDSU in their stupid conference so they'll stop crying?

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, neo_prankster said:

Talks between SDSU and Soccer City break down...

 

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/SDSU-Distances-Itself-from-Soccer-City-Planning-Group-422780064.html

 

Did the Aztecs just take their ball and go home or what? Will the Pac-12 please get off their high horse and just let SDSU in their stupid conference so they'll stop crying?

Discussed in the North American soccer thread as this is no longer an NFL issue. 

 

[neo_prankster]

SDSU is kidding themselves by walking away from the negotiations. I mean, aren't they the LAST school on most Power 5 Conferences' expansion lists?

[Gothamite]

From what I read, there's a very good chance they don't have a football program when this is all over.  This vote was couched as their last chance to save it. 

[HedleyLamarr]

5 hours ago, DG_Now said:

At least they're honest about job creation.  I don't know why they wouldn't have also included day-of jobs as well.

 

And shame on anyone taking credit for paying minimum wage. Pay more and then we can talk.

These will likely be outsourced.  Gameday security offered by CSC, food stands operated by a separate entity (or manned by non-profit organizations doing some fundraising), etc.  These wouldn't be "jobs created" so much as it would be "extra job opportunities/hours for those already employed".

 

50 employees for the venue itself sounds about right.  These will mainly be permanent venue security personnel and building maintenance crews.

[dfwabel]

5 hours ago, Gothamite said:

From what I read, there's a very good chance they don't have a football program when this is all over.  This vote was couched as their last chance to save it. 

Alleged consessions from FS Investors to SDSU.

http://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2017/05/18/concessions-behind-soccercity-development-proposal

 

Quote

Additionally, SDSU could accept one of three options, according to Stone:

— 10 acres SDSU could develop on its own, alongside SoccerCity;

— the developers would build SDSU 2,000 housing units and 200,000 square feet of scientific research space; or

— SDSU could purchase 30 acres in 30 years, at fair market value, to use for university purposes.

The school asked for 12 acres for a stadium and 35 acres for campus expansion. Stone said the last option, combined with the stadium, would satisfy that demand.

 

Stone said, if SDSU joins with them, capacity would be 33,500, of which 1,500 would be standing. That size is on the high side of what MLS officials will accept, he said.

If SDSU doesn’t join in with the project, the stadium capacity would be 23,500. It would still be made commercially available to SDSU, since the team might not have a place to play after the 2019 season.

 

Now, if approved by voters, FS Investors is supposedly only going to pay the city just $125 per acre.

 

[FiddySicks]

On 5/17/2017 at 6:02 PM, BlackBolt3 said:

Every candidate has some amount of baggage now? Although San Diego still might get one, whoever gets a spot is gonna have to work out some serious issues.

 

Sacramento hit a snag earlier in the bidding process, but that's all been cleared up now. There were a few within the ownership group (one in particular who pretty much the entire league, and really, the Sacramento professional sports scene as a whole, owes better. But that's a different story altogether) who absolutely got the shaft, but the real money players now have control (or will soon enough). It's stuff that probably should've been cleared up awhile ago (and it's a good look at the ruthlessness of the business world, to be honest), but it's been rectified enough at this point to not cause any real damage. 

 

This sums it up a bit better.

[Gothamite]

Yeah, I think Sacramento is clear. 

 

Im also not aware of any "baggage" around Phoenix or San Antonio.  Those seem ready to go as well. 

[B-Rich]

On 5/18/2017 at 1:40 PM, DG_Now said:

And shame on anyone taking credit for paying minimum wage. Pay more and then we can talk.

 

Let's not get confused here; they are proposing to pay the established Miami-Dade Living Wage, not just minimum wage. And the Miami-Dade Living wage is only required for county employees and those private companies contracting with the county.  As this is a land purchase from the county, not a ongoing contract, this is a carrot "deal" and not a requirement.

 

Federal minimum wage is $7.25; Florida minimum wage is $8.10.  The current Miami-Dade Living Wage is $15, nearly double what a private employer not under contract to Miami-Dade would be required to pay. 

 

Though according to the article only half of those 50 jobs are guaranteed that amount. These would, I assume, be your facility management folks, licensed electricians and other such technicians on-site, etc. who you would figure make more than minimum wage.

 

On 5/19/2017 at 5:26 AM, Gothamite said:

 

never mind...

[Gothamite]

54 minutes ago, B-Rich said:

Let's not get confused here; they are proposing to pay the established Miami-Dade Living Wage, not just minimum wage. And the Miami-Dade Living wage is only required for county employees and those private companies contacting with the county.  As this is a land purchase from the county, not a ongoing contract, this is a carrot "deal" and not a requirement.

 

Federal minimum wage is $7.25; Florida minimum wage is $8.10.  The current Miami-Dade Living Wage is $15, nearly double what a private employer not under contract to Miami-Dade would be required to pay. 

 

Though according to the article only half of those 50 jobs are guaranteed that amount. These would, I assume, be your facility management folks, licensed electricians and other such technicians on-site, etc. who you would figure make more than minimum wage.

 

I hadn't heard that.  It's very good news, even if as you mention only some of the workers will be guaranteed a living wage.

 

New poll out about San Diegans' opinions of Soccer City.

 

 

It does indeed look good.  At first glance.  But look at that second question - this was from before SDSU dropped out, so we'll see what impact that has on the voters.

[dfwabel]

2 hours ago, Gothamite said:

 

I hadn't heard that.  It's very good news, even if as you mention only some of the workers will be guaranteed a living wage.

 

New poll out about San Diegans' opinions of Soccer City.

 

 

It does indeed look good.  At first glance.  But look at that second question - this was from before SDSU dropped out, so we'll see what impact that has on the voters.

Be reminded that this soccer measure will be on the same November ballot as a hotel tax for the convention center expansion. There is likely to be a low turnout, but high in older voters who will reject that tax AND anything which they think will eventually screw them.  

 

Plus, there is still uncertainty if the city and FS Investors will agree to a lease which will be available for the voters to see before November. 

[Gothamite]

10 minutes ago, dfwabel said:

Be reminded that this soccer measure will be on the same November ballot as a hotel tax for the convention center expansion. There is likely to be a low turnout, but high in older voters who will reject that tax AND anything which they think will eventually screw them.

 

Yeah, but there's a real case to be made to those voters.  The city is losing a ton of money every year on the stadium.  Soccer City is proposing they come in and pay to demolish it, taking an expensive item off the city's budget.  And then they're proposing to purchase the land at market value.  

 

I would expect that to be part of the inevitable marketing campaign ahead of the vote.

 

 

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, Gothamite said:

 

Yeah, but there's a real case to be made to those voters.  The city is losing a ton of money every year on the stadium.  Soccer City is proposing they come in and pay to demolish it, taking an expensive item off the city's budget.  And then they're proposing to purchase the land at market value.  

 

I would expect that to be part of the inevitable marketing campaign ahead of the vote.

 

 

There are still $5M/year in bonds which the city has to pay off regardless.  The amount which FS Investors will pay for the site does not fully cover the cost of retiring the money owed on the outstanding bonds.  It is not even half the remaining debt. 

[Gothamite]

46 minutes ago, dfwabel said:

There are still $5M/year in bonds which the city has to pay off regardless.  The amount which FS Investors will pay for the site does not fully cover the cost of retiring the money owed on the outstanding bonds.  It is not even half the remaining debt. 

 

But that's not going to change regardless of who gets the land, since the purchase price will be at an independently-assessed fair market rate.  It's not like Soccer City is looking for a bargain deal and somebody else could come by and offer tens of times what they're paying. 

 

Jack Murphy Stadium is currently a very bad deal for the taxpayers of San Diego. If financial terms is to be the calculus, Soccer City is offering the best deal they're going to get to minimize that bad deal. 

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, Gothamite said:

 

But that's not going to change regardless of who gets the land, since the purchase price will be at an independently-assessed fair market rate.  It's not like Soccer City is looking for a bargain deal and somebody else could come by and offer tens of times what they're paying. 

 

Jack Murphy Stadium is currently a very bad deal for the taxpayers of San Diego. If financial terms is to be the calculus, Soccer City is offering the best deal they're going to get to minimize that bad deal. 

There is $37M in principal and $11.5M in interest needed to be retired by the city, but I am weary that any agreement with FS Investors will actually be at "market value", rather the calculation of demolition et al will be overstated and they'll go to court to only pay $10K.

 

The stadium and MLS effort is at best tertiary for any investment group.  The ability to zone it for residential use and get 5,000+ units in the space is the primary concern.  Next is the commercial aspect.  Then the stadium and team.

 

Remember that FS Investors only wants 79.9 acres as it fits underneath the city charter that any land municipal land sale of 80 acres or more must go to the voters.