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ztejas

ztejas 43266

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On 11/7/2018 at 7:12 PM, Pasken said:

COTA has a new pac to try and get the MLS stadium recalled and their petitioners have been caught lying on video to get signatures for the petition.

 

 

 

I think the news story would be if Austin canvassers weren't somehow giving misinformation. 

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ztejas

ztejas 43266

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On 11/9/2018 at 11:02 AM, wood said:

If you accidentally signed the petition under false pretenses and didn't really want to -- Texas Election Code says you can send an affidavit to the City requesting the removal or come in person to do it.  

But be sure to do it before the petition is received by the city.

Is this a fucking joke? Here's an idea: why don't you throw it away as soon as it crosses your desk. 

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wood

wood 11180

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13 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Is this a fucking joke? Here's an idea: why don't you throw it away as soon as it crosses your desk. 

Hey, I didn't sign it ... but some people were duped into it. So there's an option out there for any of them might want to set the record straight...

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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25 minutes ago, wood said:

So, this happened...

Austin signs agreement to build landmark soccer stadium https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-signs-agreement-to-build-20-000-seat-soccer-stadium/1666509871

@skittlebrau to the red courtesy phone....

 

And it's still possible the team could play in a temporary stadium in 2020. That's a shocker.

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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3 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

congratulations austin, didn't believe PSV would pony up.  my only question is what does $3.5m to capmetro over 15 years get you?

I believe it’s for the bus stop. The Rapid bus from downtown will probably be really important for them. 

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UrbanAchiever

UrbanAchiever 276

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Hagbard Celine said:

congratulations austin, didn't believe PSV would pony up.  my only question is what does $3.5m to capmetro over 15 years get you?

A new red line stop in front of the stadium. The plan is to move the Kramer stop further north and have a new one there.

Edited by UrbanAchiever
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futureman

futureman 22416

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1 hour ago, UrbanAchiever said:

A new red line stop in front of the stadium. The plan is to move the Kramer stop further north and have a new one there.

oh sure just gut the whole damn city.  pave over paradise, we need more parking!!!1!!  in 20 years the city will rue this decision.  

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

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Well the city did just tacitly admit to a proposal that tears down a good chunk of the new parking garages out at Bergstrom to be the "front of house passenger processing" area for the Jordan terminal and proposed second terminal behind it.  

I like that all it took for them to realize that we won't be driving cars in 15 years a we do now, was $75mm in parking garages.  

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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3 hours ago, Lobo said:

Well the city did just tacitly admit to a proposal that tears down a good chunk of the new parking garages out at Bergstrom to be the "front of house passenger processing" area for the Jordan terminal and proposed second terminal behind it.  

I like that all it took for them to realize that we won't be driving cars in 15 years a we do now, was $75mm in parking garages.  

I would hardly call a 20 year old parking garage, “new”.

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

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1 hour ago, Pasken said:

I would hardly call a 20 year old parking garage, “new”.

The ones they literally are still finishing.  I’d call them new and I’d call demolishing a huge portion of them in the next 15 years to be a misleading act that smacks of kickbacks and criminal intent.  

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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34 minutes ago, Lobo said:

The ones they literally are still finishing.  I’d call them new and I’d call demolishing a huge portion of them in the next 15 years to be a misleading act that smacks of kickbacks and criminal intent.  

You’re confused. They are not demolishing the new rental car garage and the one under construction next to it. They would demolish the old short term garage RIGHT in front of the existing terminal. After construction is done, You would exit the new terminal building and see the new garages directly in front of you.

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ztejas

ztejas 43266

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13 hours ago, Lobo said:

I’d call them new and I’d call demolishing a huge portion of them in the next 15 years to be a misleading act that smacks of kickbacks and criminal intent.  

Don't attribute to malice what is easily explained by stupidity. Especially in Austin. 

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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1 hour ago, ztejas said:

Don't attribute to malice what is easily explained by stupidity. Especially in Austin. 

Stupidity is complaining about something you obviously don’t understand. They are demolishing what is now a 20 year old garage. They are not planning to demolish any of the new garages. Who cares about facts when you can call the government stupid though?

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ztejas

ztejas 43266

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6 minutes ago, Pasken said:

Stupidity is complaining about something you obviously don’t understand. They are demolishing what is now a 20 year old garage. They are not planning to demolish any of the new garages. Who cares about facts when you can call the government stupid though?

I'm not complaining about anything and don't give a shit. The context was Lobo's comment. 

But yes, the Austin City Council has been and will always be filled with morons, regardless of your opinion on airport parking garages.

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UrbanAchiever

UrbanAchiever 276

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2 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I'm not complaining about anything and don't give a shit. The context was Lobo's comment. 

But yes, the Austin City Council has been and will always be filled with morons, regardless of your opinion on airport parking garages.

Regardless of your feelings about Council, the airport is hands down the best run city facility. It's something the city does very, very well.

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Hagbard Celine

Hagbard Celine 10763

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16 hours ago, elfenix said:

ESPN scroll just said that the Browns ownership is buying the Crew

the ohio portion of this malign fiesta is officially over.  city of columbus dropped the suit yesterday.  crew officially saved.  note jab at PSV in bold.

+++

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/columbus-crew-sc/mls-announces-sale-of-columbus-crew-sc/

Major League Soccer reached an agreement in principle with the Haslam and Edwards families to assume ownership of Columbus Crew SC starting in January 2019.

“While we work to finalize the deal promptly, we want to state publicly the tremendous collaboration and community support for Crew SC, which has set the stage for a powerful plan that includes a world-class soccer stadium — a critical step that will help ensure the club’s success on and off the field,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement released by the league Friday. “We appreciate all the diligent work from the Haslam and Edwards Families, the leadership from the Columbus Partnership, the City of Columbus, Franklin County and the State of Ohio, Precourt Sports Ventures, and all of those who have contributed over the past several months to create the elements that will solidify Crew SC’s long-term future as an integral part of the Columbus sports scene.”

Earlier in the day, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced the lawsuit against MLS was dropped by the city and state, clearing the way for the sale to be finalized.

“From the start, this litigation was about keeping the Crew in Columbus, and I believe we are finally there. After having conversations with the new ownership group, I believe that it’s time to tentatively dismiss the lawsuit so that the deal can be finalized, and once it’s done, the case can be permanently closed,” Klein said. “I can’t thank #SaveTheCrew enough for having my back as we did the unexpected—we saved the Crew. I’m looking forward to celebrating the launch of the 2019 season right here in Columbus on March 2nd!”

Dee and Jimmy Haslam, owners of the NFL Cleveland Browns, partnered with local investor and Crew SC doctor Pete Edwards to save the franchise from relocation. They have been working with MLS and the city on a solution since the league first announced their involvement three months ago. MLS set an end-of-year deadline for all parties to come to an agreement.

“We are extremely grateful for the efforts of the Columbus community, as well as Crew SC fans, to help us efficiently complete and fulfill the requirements and deadlines set by Major League Soccer that will help ensure the success of Crew SC on and off the field,” Haslam and Edwards said in the statement. “Throughout our conversations, it’s been overwhelmingly clear that Crew SC belongs in Columbus, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement in principle to assume an ownership position in Major League Soccer and to operate Columbus Crew SC. As the stewards of Crew SC, we will always be focused on building a championship caliber team that makes the city proud, creating dynamic and memorable fan experiences and deeply engaging the community to make a positive impact.”

The ownership group already is working on a new stadium plan in downtown Columbus. Earlier this month, Franklin county commissioners unanimously voted to approve their part of the funding for a $645 million plan that includes building the new stadium and developing a community sports park on the site of the current stadium.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, “Franklin County will cover about $45 million of the development costs, via annual payments of $2.5 million starting in 2020.”

The new investments and stadium location, along with renewed passion among a fanbase that successfully petitioned to #SaveTheCrew for the entire year should help address the attendance and viability concerns previously surrounding the franchise.

Outgoing Crew SC investor/operator Anthony Precourt, CEO of Precourt Sports Ventures, will continue to pursue an expansion team in Austin, Texas., which he hopes will launch in 2020.

“We are pleased with the lawsuit dismissal and the outcome that will ensure Major League Soccer teams in both Austin and Columbus,” Precourt said in the statement. “This elegant solution is the culmination of many months of hard work from Commissioner Garber, the Haslam and Edwards’ families, the local Columbus community, and Precourt Sports Ventures. We are happy for the people of Columbus and Crew SC supporters, who helped rally local government and business leaders to keep Crew SC in Columbus.  We are proud to have built a strong club which is in position to be successfully transitioned to new operators in 2019.”

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wood

wood 11180

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Austin FC names Andy Loughnane as president for onboarding MLS franchise - https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/austin-fc-names-andy-loughnane-president-mls-expansion/

Quote

“Austin FC will be the 27th team to enter Major League Soccer, and will begin play in 2021,” Loughnane, who officially started on New Year’s Day, said during an interview Thursday, confirming what the league broadly hinted at in recent weeks. 

 

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wood

wood 11180

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More here...

Group Seeks To Stop McKalla Place Soccer Stadium, Hopes To Force A Public Vote http://www.tinyurl.com/yc6x9npm

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The City of Austin received a petition Thursday essentially seeking to bring the Major League Soccer stadium deal to a public vote.  

The petition calls for "a public vote on an 'ordinance by initiative [that would require] any sale, lease conveyance, mortgage or alienation of City owned land for a sports facility, sports arena, and/or concert stadium' to be approved by voters before giving a private, for-profit business tax-free use of public land.”

It was delivered to the city clerk's office by a representative of the political action committees Friends of McKalla Place and Fair Play Austin. The groups want to get the petition on the ballot in May.

A big question is whether a public vote on the deal could legally overturn a City Council vote last summer and a signed lease with Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS.

Last month, Precourt and MLS formalized a deal with Austin for an estimated $220-million stadium to be built in North Austin. 

In a press release Thursday, Friends of McKalla Place boasted more than 29,000 voter signatures. A number of them were collected by another PAC - IndyAustin. 

IndyAustin’s Linda Curtis told KUT that her group gathered a lot of signatures, but gave them over to Fair Play Austin to complete the petition.

IndyAustin ran into political trouble in October after using “Pepe the Frog," a cartoon frog used by anti-Semitic and alt-right groups, in a campaign ad against Mayor Steve Adler.

Shortly after, IndyAustin's backers – including Circuit of the Americas Chairman Bobby Epstein – pulled out.  

Fair Play Austin was formed shortly after. According to city campaign documents, its business address is the same as Prophet Capital, where Epstein is the principal. He has contributed roughly $80,000 to his cause.

Epstein also owns a soccer team – the Austin Bold FC of the United Soccer League – and is building a stadium at COTA.

Meanwhile, Austin FC took another step today toward becoming an MLS team, naming Andy Loughnane as its new president of business operations.

Loughnane will oversee things like community engagement, sponsorships, merchandise and stadium operations. He held the same position for the Columbus Crew.

Assuming the stadium moves forward, it is expected to be completed in time for the 2021 MLS season.

Precourt dos not yet have a public, formal agreement with MLS for when the Austin team will be added to the league, though both have pledged to resolve that soon.

 

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wood

wood 11180

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So these supposed 29,000 'signatures' came from at least 3 different groups. Is that a potential problem for them - I mean aside from the obvious issues with the lies told to obtain the votes?

This part is also pretty interesting imho. 

Quote

A big question is whether a public vote on the deal could legally overturn a City Council vote last summer and a signed lease with Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS.

 

Edited by wood
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Bottlecap

Bottlecap 1522

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Posted
21 hours ago, Pasken said:

New Site Plan Sent to City:

 

DwAAsimX4AEM2yF.jpg:large

A footbridge on Denton Dr. over the red line and onto the stadium grounds would be awesome giving better access from oskar blues, 4th tap, and fairweather to that end of the park without having to walk around.

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Pasken

Pasken 1309

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Statesman Reporter: Phil Jankowski
NEW: City of Austin spox tells me that a May 4 election on soccer petition disallowed under City Charter provision preventing 2 petition elections within 6 months of each other. Goes against "Friend of McKalla" wishes. #MLS2ATX 

 

Suck on that Linda Curtis.

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wood

wood 11180

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MLS to Austin: Soccer supporters question petition effort to quash deal for Austin FC stadium http://statesman.com/news/20190104/mls-to-austin-soccer-supporters-question-petition-effort-to-quash-deal-for-austin-fc-stadium

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Thursday’s filing of a petition designed to challenge the city’s stadium contract with Precourt Sports Ventures came as a surprise to most of those who are closely following the effort to bring a Major League Soccer team to Austin.

But on Friday, many questioned whether the ordinance proposed in the petition was worded in a way that would make it irrelevant to the effort to build the stadium on city-owned land in North Austin known as McKalla Place. Others were left wondering who is behind the mysterious group that filed the petition known as Friends of McKalla Place.

The petition’s proposed ordinance calls for elections on deals that would put stadium or concert venues on city-owned land. It would also make stadium operators pay taxes on the venue, a sticking point for those opposed to the deal. The city exempted MLS owner Anthony Precourt’s sports group from paying property taxes, which will save him millions.

Austin FC leaders are adamant that the petition will not affect their plans. Since the stadium lease was signed, the team has hired a president and 15 front-office staffers. MLS is expected to formally recognize Austin as its 27th franchise later this month.

“The petition does not impact Austin FC,” PSV lobbyist Richard Suttle said in a statement. “The lease is signed and the plan for the stadium has been filed. We look forward to bringing Major League Soccer to Austin.”

A clause in the stadium contract does allow PSV or the city to cancel the deal if either determines that a referendum or initiative undermines the stadium’s construction. If the deal is terminated, Precourt would be on the hook for paying for the demolition and removal of any construction in place at the 22-acre McKalla Place tract near the Domain.

Supporters of the deal for a $225 million, 20,000-seat stadium deal are upset that the petition drive was paid for by Bobby Epstein, chairman of Circuit of the Americas. Epstein is the majority owner of the United Soccer League team Austin Bold FC, which is set to begin playing this spring at COTA. Epstein has put up at least $104,305 to fund the petition effort through two political action committees, according to campaign finance reports.

When reached Friday, Epstein would not comment on the petition effort.

“I’m focused on the pro soccer team that is taking the field in two months here at a level never played in Austin before,” he said.

A phone message to the attorney representing Fair Play Austin, the PAC currently leading the petition effort, was not returned.

The Friends of McKalla Place group had been largely unknown before announcing it filed the petition Thursday. The group doesn’t have a website and is not registered with the state. It used a courier to file the petition at the city clerk’s office Thursday and gave only a general email address as a contact for the city.

The group’s leaders have refused to come forward except for Craig Nazor, a North Austin resident and member of the local Sierra Club. Nazor said the group is about 10 people who have been communicating about issues with the stadium for months. He refused to name any of the other members and said the group doesn’t have a single leader. He said others have decided to remain anonymous because they fear they could face harassment.

“Many are people that have probably been quoted in the paper and have gotten crap for it,” Nazor said.

According to the city of Austin’s legal department, the Friends of McKalla Place group’s target May 4 date for an election on the petition is disallowed under a provision of Austin’s City Charter that prevents two petition initiatives or referendum elections within six months of each other. The Nov. 6 midterm election had two petition items on the ballot, slightly less than six months before a May 4 election.

The city would not comment on the petition or how it might affect the stadium agreement.

The city clerk’s office will now begin the process of verifying the petition’s 29,000 signatures. It will hire a statistician to verify a portion of the signatures. If enough are verified in the coming weeks, the City Council would have to either adopt the petition’s proposed ordinance outright or hold an election.

 

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wood

wood 11180

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Austin mayor believes petition opposing soccer stadium won’t derail 2021 MLS launch, characterizes petition as primarily serving the business interests of Circuit of the Americas 

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/expansion/austin/austin-mayor-claims-petition-opposing-austin-fc-soccer-stadium-wont-derail-2021-launch/

Quote

The plan to build a soccer-specific stadium for future Major League Soccer team Austin FC won’t be derailed by a petition filed Thursday by stadium opponents, according to Austin mayor Steve Adler and Richard Suttle, the lawyer who represented Precourt Sports Ventures in stadium negotiations with the City of Austin.

Even though the city’s legal team hasn’t officially opined on the petition’s language yet, Adler told Pro Soccer USA in an exclusive interview Friday that he believes it is already “too late” for a petition to stop progress on the stadium plan. 

Suttle, who served as liaison between PSV and the City in securing City Council approval for the plan in August, issued a statement for PSV Friday saying, “The petition does not impact Austin FC. The lease is signed and the plan for the stadium has been filed. We look forward to bringing Major League Soccer to Austin.”


Austin FC is slated to begin MLS play in 2021, according to recently-hired Austin FC president Andy Loughnane.

The petition drive, funded in part by Bobby Epstein, owner of incoming United Soccer League Championship team Austin Bold FC, seeks a “public vote on an ‘ordinance by initiative [that would require] any sale, lease conveyance, mortgage or alienation of City owned land for a sports facility, sports arena and/or concert stadium’ to be approved by voters before giving a private, for-profit business tax free use of public land,” according to a statement from a group called Friends of McKalla Place. 

McKalla Place is the 24-acre plot of land in North Austin where the stadium would be located.

Though the group identifies as “an informal, grassroots organization,” it also acknowledges that Political Action Committees Indy Austin and Fair Play Austin — which received over a combined $100,000 in donations from Epstein in the fourth quarter of 2018 — “assisted in collecting signatures for the petition using temporary workers.”

The deal between PSV and Austin was officially signed Dec. 19, 2018, two weeks before the petitioners turned in their signatures.

Adler said even if the petition signatures check out, there could not be a vote on what the petition calls for before Nov. 5, 2019. That is because the City Charter dictates six months must pass between special elections (to be held on the first Tuesday in either May or November), and the first Tuesday in May falls several days shy of the special election run concurrently with the general election in November 2018 — confirming what Austin City Council member Jimmy Flannigan told Pro Soccer USA Thursday. 

He also said of the current Austin FC stadium, “This project has already launched, and by the November election, it will have probably already moved through the City.” Adler added the City Council will have to approve several elements over the summer in advance of the actual construction start.

“We’ll be through that process well before November,” Adler said. “But even if not, I don’t see the petition impacting this at all.”

He went on to voice concern about the petition’s scope, in that it targets prospective new entertainment as well as sports venues. Even though it wouldn’t affect Austin FC, he encouraged Austin voters to reject the ballot initiative that may result from the petition drive.

He also characterized the petition as primarily serving the business interests of Circuit of the Americas, the Formula 1 facility where Epstein is a founding partner and where the Bold are slated to open USL Championship play this coming March in a 5,000-seat stadium being erected on the COTA grounds. 

As for the petitioners’ aims to extract more taxes from PSV, Adler said, “The City doesn’t decide whether the property’s taxed or not. And the City has not granted the soccer folks any exemption from taxes. Whether or not they get taxed is an issue between them and the State [of Texas]. The City doesn’t have a vote in that. There’s no ordinance that the City could pass that would make something taxable that’s not taxable under state law.” 

Adler emphasized the deal between PSV and Austin does not involve a tax exemption, but rather an agreement to let PSV build a stadium on City-owned land, gift the stadium to the city and then lease it. Adler said taxability of a stadium depends on whether it’s considered constructed for public use or not. Based on precedent involving what is now known as Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Texas Rangers’ home stadium, Adler believes the future Austin FC stadium would be considered a public-use stadium. 

Austin FC, on the heels of team’s hiring of Loughnane as club president Thursday, announced a core front office staff Friday that included Austin-based former MLS player Tyson Wahl as academy general manager and a mix of Austin community engagement specialists and former Columbus Crew SC employees in a variety of roles from business to groundskeeping.

“I’m excited to have them here,” Adler said of the new Austinites. “I’m excited to have a Major League Soccer team here, in a city that’s one of the best TV markets for World Cup soccer, even without a [pro] team.”

Adler also repeated his vision — which he discussed while working to garner support for PSV leading to the August City Council vote — of the team being a positive force that will bring socially-segregated segments of the community together. 

 

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skittlebrau

skittlebrau 474

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Mayor's not worried, we're not worried. Way more interested in the news about the team starting to build the front office staff.

Also did a FB live broadcast from McKalla on New Year's Day. It's hard to believe that mess of a site is going to turn into the renderings posted above before long, but it's very exciting!

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