MLS planning to add five new teams
Las Vegas is campaigning for a Major League Soccer team as MLS grows its roster from 19 to 24 teams, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
The league’s board of governors have received a request for one of the five planned new franchise teams from Findlay Sports & Entertainment and the Cordish Companies, partners in a plan to develop a $200 million sports stadium in Symphony Park, Downtown Vegas.
Findlay and Cordish have been criticized for trying to get millions in subsidies from Las Vegas taxpayers. Financing plans for the planned arena have been modified several times as a result; the most recent deal calls for the city to kick in $20 million to $25 million for a stadium as part of a $50 million bond issue.
During an MLS board meeting on December 6, the league’s expansion committee reviewed presentations made by Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Sacramento.
“Members of the board were very impressed with the strength of the four proposals from the three markets,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. “Our next step is to meet with each group to review outstanding questions and issues with respect to these markets. Following these meetings, we will announce a final selection process for this expansion round.”
