By: Roche Madden
(KTVI - myFOXstl.com) --
The city of Collinsville, IL could find out in 60 days if it will be home to a brand new Major League Soccer team.
The city council took a big step, the first of many, Monday night in bringing pro outdoor soccer to Collinsville and a new stadium. Plans call for it to be built near I-255 and Horseshoe Lake Road. The half billion dollar project not only includes an 18,500 seat stadium but also businesses, retail and new homes.
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Some council members are worried the local school district in Collinsville will lose tax revenue if details in the deal are not made clear in the near future. The mayor of Collinsville and the head of St. Louis Soccer United say the students will not be forgotten, that everything can be worked out so the project is completed and the schools get the tax money due them.
Jeff Cooper with St. Louis Soccer United told Fox 2, "It's great new its great news its a great night for Collinsville, it's great night for St. Louis soccer fans."
He says he'll be on the phone with Major League Soccer officials tomorrow. Cooper is hopeful he could find out in 2 to 3 months if Collinsville will get a team.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Soccer Scores In Collinsville Monday
Collinsville forges ahead on stadium
By Shane Graber
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
09/11/2007
"Thank you council! Thank you Collinsville!" screams Benjamin Girard, of Edwardsville, center, and other St. Louis soccer supporters following the vote by the city council.
(Sarah Conard /P-D)
COLLINSVILLE — City leaders voted Monday to negotiate with a Metro East lawyer to bring the city a multimillion-dollar professional soccer stadium along with a housing and retail development.
Council members voted 4-1 to negotiate an annex agreement for farmland at Horseshoe Lake Road and Interstate 255. City staff members believe that money to be made on the project will almost double the city's investment.
The city's cost would be $3 million a year over the next 25 years, according to its estimates. Officials believe the project will generate $5.7 million a year, or $2.7 million annually over the investment.
City Manager Bob Knabel said the city would sell bonds totaling about $30 million to $35 million to pay for the project, though the exact amount won't be final until the deal is complete. It's uncertain when that will be, but both sides have said they expect a firmer deal by year's end.
Knabel said the city is not interested in just breaking even. "There has to be a benefit coming back to the community in order for us to do this," he said.
Monday's vote formally begins the project negotiation between the city and attorney Jeff Cooper, who has spearheaded the effort to bring big-time soccer to St. Louis.
The council's decision puts the city on a short list to win a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. Cooper hopes to have a team on the field by 2009. If Cooper doesn't get a team, the stadium deal will be off, and the city will not be tied to any commitment, he said.
Councilwoman Lisa Ciampoli voted against the project. She said she wanted more guarantees that the Collinsville School
District wouldn't be burdened by an influx of students coming from an expected 1,600 homes that would be included in the project. She also wanted to protect the city financially in case the city doesn't land a professional soccer team, or if the team is sold and leaves town.
"I want the stadium, I really do," Ciampoli said. "I just want to make sure we're protected."
Under the expected arrangement between the city and Cooper, the city would use the first $3 million of any money it makes to pay off the bonds. The city then would keep the next $1 million, and the city and Cooper's group, St. Louis Soccer United, would split revenues after that.
Cooper has said that the best way to bring pro soccer to St. Louis is through a public-private partnership, an approach that is used in most professional sports team stadium deals, but one that is controversial because of the use of public funds.
The city also would help pay for some of the infrastructure, such as roads and water lines, through a tax increment financing district. The district would collect all new property taxes at the complex and reinvest them in that area.
Cooper's plan would include about 1,600 homes.
The number of homes had been uncertain. With the homes, the total value of the project is forecast at $572.9 million.
The school district is concerned about gaining students without accompanying tax funds. Taxes in a TIF district typically go back into a specified area and not to the school district. If the 1,600 homes bring in a large number of students, the school board wants to make sure the district has the room and money to educate them.
"The use of TIFs to support residential development is bad public policy and unacceptable," said Mike James, a lawyer for the district. "It's unfair to kids, students and taxpayers of the district.
"You're building a soccer stadium on the backs of schoolkids."
Stadium proposalThe project is estimated at $572.9 million and would include:• An 18,500-seat stadium• 1,600 homes• 240 hotel rooms• At least two restaurants• Several youth soccer fields• Nearly 500,000 square feet of office and retail space.
Council approves initial items for Collinsville stadium plan
BY ELIZABETH DONALD
News-Democrat
COLLINSVILLE --
The soccer stadium is a few steps closer to reality, after the City Council on Monday passed several votes toward what they call the biggest project ever to come to Collinsville.
The council voted 4-1 to approve the first steps toward the $572 million soccer stadium and retail/residential complex proposed by St. Louis Soccer United.
"This is a great night for Collinsville and for St. Louis soccer fans," said group chairman Jeff Cooper as at least 14 of those fans chanted and played drums outside City Hall in support.
City Manager Bob Knabel stressed that the votes taken Monday were not the final decision on the tax increment financing district or the project itself. That will come with the redevelopment agreement, expected to be voted on later this fall.
Votes included:
• An agreement to annex the land that St. Louis Soccer United proposes to turn into an 18,500-seat stadium, retail/office complex and residential area of about 1,600 homes.
Councilman Lisa Ciampoli was the sole "no" vote. She said her main concern is for the school district.
"I want to make sure the city and the schools come to an agreement before I'm comfortable going forward," she said.
Councilmen John Miller, Liz Dalton, Nancy Moss and Mayor Stan Schaeffer all voted "yes."
• Authorizing a feasibility study on the proposed redevelopment agreement, which would include a $30 million to $35 million bond issued by the city and a tax increment financing district expected to garner about $65 million in reimbursements for St. Louis Soccer United.
• Hiring PGAV as financial consultants for the tax increment financing district and other aspects related to the soccer stadium. St. Louis Soccer United will reimburse the city for its costs in creating these districts.
• A declaration of official intent to pursue this project on the part of the city. Ciampoli also voted against this measure. All other votes were unanimous.
The primary opposition came from the school district, with public statements from attorney Mike James, representing the board, and from teachers' union co-presidents Stacey Soehlke-Lowenstein and Matt Blunt.
"We feel this development for our city is wonderful, but you can't forget our schools," Soehlke-Lowenstein said.
James called the proposal for a residential tax increment financing "very bad public policy," because it adds children to the schools but does not contribute property taxes to the school district.
Cooper said he believes St. Louis Soccer United has been "extremely proactive" in addressing the schools' concerns. He said a residential tax increment financing district is necessary to combat the issues of building in a floodplain, but he believes a solution will be found to protect the district.
"We will work as hard as we can to see the school district is taken care of," he said. "This is all about the kids."
Contact reporter Elizabeth Donald at edonald@bnd.com or 345-7822, ext. 21.
Collinsville approves soccer stadium
11:02 PM CDT on Monday, September 10, 2007
(KMOV)- The metro area is a step closer to attracting a major league soccer team.
Collinsville approved a new multi-million dollar soccer stadium.
News 4 Robert Townsend has the report.
Video Link
http://www.kmov.com/video/localnews-index.html?nvid=173682&shu=1
MAJOR DAY FOR SOCCER
Approval of stadium plan means MLS closer than ever
Comment By PETE HAYES The Telegraph
September 11, 2007 - 12:02AM
It’s been a long and arduous trip for Jeff Cooper. And following Monday’s approval of a pre-annexation agreement that will lead to a 18,500-seat, soccer specific stadium and an eventual Major League Soccer franchise for St. Louis, he needed a beer.
But first, a phone call.
Cooper, the man behind all the fuss, phoned MLS President Mark Abbott.
“I told him to bring on the MLS,” Cooper said. “St. Louis is ready.”
Indeed. Cooper, a successful East Alton attorney, never forgot his Granite City soccer roots. And when he and his St. Louis Soccer United group began working toward landing an expansion MLS franchise for the city, they knew a soccer-specific stadium is a must.
Build it or they won’t come.
Well, with Monday’s 4-1 vote by the Collinsville City Council, they will for sure be building the stadium on land near the intersection of Interstate 255 and Horseshoe Lake Road. That’s farmland now, near an area that’s been home to recreation soccer fields for Collinsville children. But come 2009, it will also be the site of the best professional soccer in the U.S.
And Cooper is the man mostly responsible.
“I’m very, very happy,” Cooper said after Monday’s meeting. “I think everything went very well.”
There were brief speeches by several supporters on behalf of the stadium plan – and some talk by Collinsville School District officials, who question the use of TIF money for such use.
“There’s no real opposition,” Cooper said. “We’re still too early in the process.
“The more people see of the plans, the more they support them.”
Many business leaders from Collinsville attended the meeting and soccer fans demonstrated outside Collinsville City Hall, beating drums and chanting, “MLS! MLS!”
While much work remains to be done, Cooper is relieved that this portion of the process is behind him.
“We have taken a major step,” he said. “The first step is always the hardest.”
The stadium plan includes several soccer fields for youth teams, commercial, hotel and restaurant areas as well as housing units in a “Soccer Main Street” area surrounding the stadium.
It was indeed a beautiful day for the beautiful game Monday in Collinsville, a city that’s been known for its strong youth and high school teams, will now be the venue for the highest level of soccer in this country. It seems fitting, somehow.
It will be interesting to see how soon it al comes together, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if Soccer Main Street is up and running before Ballpark Village rises out of its hole in near Busch Stadium.
In fact, if I were a betting man, I’d put my greenbacks on Cooper. I’ve learned that much – and so has the MLS.
