Senate committee considers bill that could kill Austin MLS stadium deal

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https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/senate-committee-considers-bill-that-could-kill-austin-mls-stadium-deal/1930336798

Senate committee considers bill that could kill Austin MLS stadium deal

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The controversy swirling around a planned Major Leauge Soccer stadium in Austin spilled into the state capitol Tuesday.  Members of the Senate Property Tax committee heard testimony on a bill that could kill the deal between the city of Austin and Precourt Sports Venture -- the group that owns the rights for a Major League Soccer team in Austin.

Senate Bill 1771 targets the portion of the agreement that lets PSV build a 20,000-seat stadium on city-owned land without having to pay property taxes on the building. According to the deal, the stadium would be built on a 24-acre parcel of land at 10414 McKalla Place.

Opposers of the stadium say Travis County, Austin ISD and other entities also collect property taxes but didn't have a say in the city's decision to give PSV a property tax exemption.

"Why should the city of Austin be able to dictate what property is going to be exempt for purposes of the school district? " said Attorney Bill Aleshire who testified in support of SB 1771.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who supported the stadium deal, argues the agreement doesn't harm AISD or any other taxing entities because they aren't collected taxes on the property now.

READ ALSO: City certifies petition calling for vote on planned MLS stadium

"That's a piece of property that is owned by the city that will never generate taxes under any scenario. If it's not a stadium there, it would be put to affordable housing use or some other use that does not generate property taxes," Adler said.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) authored the bill. He chairs the Property Tax committee which could give the bill an easier path to the Senate floor.  It's unclear whether it has enough support to pass a full Senate vote.

If passed, the bill could kill the stadium deal because part of the deal allowed for PSV to back out of the deal if it does not get tax exempt status.

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https://en.as.com/en/2019/04/16/football/1555443567_214273.html

The MLS in top ten leagues with best attendance records

Atlanta United fans during the MLS Cup final

The CIES Football Observatory published a study of the best attended leagues over the last five years along with an analysis of audience growth in the past 15 years.

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https://en.as.com/en/2019/04/16/football/1555447601_549858.html

Atlanta United ranked tenth in worldwide attendance

Atlanta United attendance record during the 2018 MLS Cup final

The MLS franchise, which debuted in 2017 as an expansion club, is in the top ten best supported sides according to a CIES Football Observatory study.

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/04/16/atlanta-united-attendance-ranked-top-10-world-mls-8th-among-leagues

Atlanta United attendance ranked Top 10 in world, MLS is 8th among leagues

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http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/hearing-held-on-austin-tax-deal-with-mls-team

Hearing held on Austin tax deal with MLS team

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - A hearing was held at the State Capitol on a bill that could take a bite out of the deal to bring Major League Soccer to Austin.

Senate Bill 1771, if approved, would allow Travis County, Austin ISD and other taxing bodies to get money from the new stadium.

Members of the Texas Senate Property Tax Committee took up SB 1771 Tuesday evening. It was drafted in response to the deal between the City of Austin and Precourt Sports Ventures.

A key part of the deal is the 20,000 seat stadium to be built on a vacant city-owned plot of land called McKalla Place, near The Domain. It will be home to the MLS team Austin FC. The city spent more than a year trying to get in the league, which included the failed re-location of the Columbus Crew. In crafting the deal for a MLS expansion team, the city decided to make the stadium property tax-exempt, which angered some on the Travis County Commissioners Court.

SB 1771, sponsored by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, would allow taxing districts to get around the city property tax exemption deal.

“I’m trying to reward good behavior, if there is a good structure they like it, great. They can come in, but what I know is bad public policy, is having one taxing unit decide for everybody else what they’re going to do,” said Bettencourt. "And a future version of this bill might be just a public referendum, because that settles a lot of things."

It’s possible, if SB 1771 is made law, the value of a structure located on a tax-exempt property, like grandstands for a stadium, could be taxed. Supporters argue the legislation is needed to make sure every governmental body gets a say on economic recruitment deals. Bettencourt also said he is not trying to kill soccer in Austin, but essentially wants all the players in economic recruitment to get in the game.

“You just can’t set a practice to where one city can make a decision for a county or for schools or special districts, that’s not how the property tax system is supposed to work,” said Bettencourt. "Individual decisions have to be accountable to their governing bodies, you can’t cross the streams and have one taxing unit tell the other taxing unit what to do."

Officials at the Mayor’s office have indicated that they do not believe SB 1771 will prevent Austin FC from operating in Austin.

A big supporter of SB 1771 is a group called Fair Play Austin, which has launched campaigns against the MLS deal. A major financial backer of the group is the owner of the USL Soccer team, the Austin Bold, which started play this year.

It’s not known when a committee vote on the bill will take place.

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http://www.fox9.com/sports/grounds-crew-de-icing-allianz-field-for-minnesota-united-home-opener

Grounds crew de-icing Allianz Field for Minnesota United home opener

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/bdwwsy/mccarthy_named_to_usl_championship_team_of_the/

McCarthy named to USL Championship Team of the Week

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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1013271

New Mexico’s Moar Earns Championship Player of the Week

SPANIARD PRODUCED FIRST HAT TRICK IN UNITED’S HISTORY TO LEAD BIG VICTORY AGAINST MONARCHS

GK – John McCarthy, Tampa Bay Rowdies: McCarthy posted an outstanding seven-save performance to keep the Tampa Bay Rowdies undefeated after a 1-1 draw with Louisville City FC at Al Lang Stadium.

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https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/podcast/interview-with-tony-mangiafico-from-gratzzi-italian-grille-and-flute-dram-st-petersburg-foodies-podcast-episode-31/

Interview with Tony Mangiafico from Gratzzi Italian Grille and Flute & Dram – St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 31

Interview with Tony Mangiafico from Gratzzi and Flute & Dram

Welcome to the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 31. Our featured interview today is with Tony Mangiafico. Tony is the well-known Chef and Co-Owner of Gratzzi Italian Grille in downtown St. Pete for the last 20-years. He is also Co-Owner of the newer (1-year old) Flute & Dram on Beach Drive, which specializes in caviar, champagne, small plates, and has over 300 whiskeys now that they tripled their space by taking over the unit next door. Our featured local music is from the Backtrack Blues Band. Backtrack's Frontman Chuck Ross answers The Fast Five Foodies Questions, and we feature the song 'Checkin on My Baby' from the "Make My Home in Florida" Album.

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https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/podcast/interview-with-rick-kriseman-mayor-of-st-petersburg-st-petersburg-foodies-podcast-episode-32/

Interview with Rick Kriseman Mayor of St. Petersburg – St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 32

Interview with The Mayor of St. Petersburg, FL - Rick Kriseman

Welcome to the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 32. Our featured interview today is with the Honorable Rick Kriseman, Mayor of St. Petersburg, FL. We talk to Mayor Kriseman about how he got his start in politics, what he thinks of the explosion of the food & restaurant scene, and then we ask him some tough and not so tough foodies questions. Our long-haired Chihuahua, Lola had something to say too. Our featured local music is from Janelle Sadler. Janelle answers The Fast Five Foodies Questions, and we feature the song 'Swingin' Mood' from the "Don't Make Me Laugh" Album.

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https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/podcast/interview-with-raphael-perrier-of-kahwa-coffee-roasting-st-petersburg-foodies-podcast-episode-33/

Interview with Raphael Perrier of Kahwa Coffee Roasting – St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 33

Interview with Raphael Perrier of Kahwa Coffee Roasting

Welcome to the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 33. Our featured interview today is with Raphael Perrier of Kahwa Coffee Roasting. We find out from Raphael that his first job out of University was as a coffee barista at La Colombe Coffee Roasters, when it was a small company. (Now they have 30 locations). It is where he met his wife, Sarah, and the experience obviously came in handy later, when he started Kahwa. Today, for our musical guest, Frankie Raye is back. She has a new album out, titled, "Brave". We do a foodie lighting round with her, a background interview, and feature the title track from the new album.

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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/inter-miami-facing-lawsuit-regarding-lockhart-stadium/

Inter Miami facing lawsuit regarding Lockhart Stadium

Last month, David Beckham’s MLS expansion team Inter Miami CF was given the green light to build a temporary stadium and training complex at the site of Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium.

However, a lawsuit has now been filed against the club and the city, the latest in a growing list of litigation involving Inter Miami CF. A lawyer representing FXE Futbol, a group that also sought the Lockhart Stadium complex with the plans of beginning a second division pro club plan to file a lawsuit.

“I will be filing an Emergency Motion for Temporary Injunction as soon as possible asking the court to enjoin the demolition of historic Lockhart Stadium until the Court has had a chance to make a determination on our claims that the City of Fort Lauderdale failed to follow the statutorily mandated review procedures, and the selection process was compromised by the false statements on asbestos making FXE Futbol’s bid unviable,” attorney David Winker told SportBusiness on Tuesday.

Beckham’s group will given 180 days to complete the demolition after an April 2 vote by the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. The club plans to play the 2020 and 2021 seasons at the facility and use it to house a USL League One club as well as its academy teams after that.