San Jose Earthquakes striker Dwayne De
Rosario (right) is one of a handful of Canadians playing in
Major League Soccer. (AP Photo/John Todd) |
Toronto's city council on Oct. 27 voted to help fund the construction
of a 20,000-seat soccer stadium, paving the way for Major League Soccer
to award the city an expansion franchise.
City council voted 25-13 in favour of committing $9.8 million
towards the $62.8-million stadium project originally put forward
by the Canadian Soccer Association. The city will also provide the
waterfront land for the stadium at Exhibition Place, valued at $10
million.
Ottawa will contribute $27 million, while Queen's Park will chip
in another $8 million. The federal and provincial governments agreed
to make financial contributions after the CSA won the right to stage
the 2007 FIFA world youth championships in Canada.
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., which also owns the
NHL's Maple Leafs and the NBA's Raptors, will commit $8 million
to the construction of the facility. Naming rights are expected
to account for another $10 million.
MLSE, which is vying to bring a Major League Soccer franchise
to Toronto in 2007, will cover all construction cost over-runs.
MLSE will also cover annual operating losses up to $250,000 and
split with the city any losses beyond that.
The Canadian Soccer Association, City of Toronto and MLSE have
already come to terms on a 20-year agreement on how to run the stadium.
MLSE will operate the venue, which will be owned by the city.
Major League Soccer had been negotiating terms over an expansion
franchise with MLSE, but the talks hit snags when two stadium proposals
fell apart in the last year. League commissioner Donald Garber pushed
the process along when he gave MLSE an Oct. 31 deadline to finalize
plans for the construction of a new stadium or it would give an
expansion club to another city.
Mayor David Miller spoke in favour of the plan prior to the vote,
but some councillors objected to the speed in which the plan was
put forward.
Coun. Giorgio warned that the vote is "going to come back and
haunt us," while Coun. Rob Ford added a new stadium "is the last
thing we need.''
With the stadium deal approved, Major League Soccer looks set
to award Toronto a franchise. Its board of governors meets on Nov.
12 and votes on whether to admit as many as two new teams for the
2007 season.
Other cities being considered for expansion to the 12-team league
are Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Milwaukee and St. Louis.
"We look forward to working with the three levels of government
as we prepare for construction of the stadium in early 2006 and
while we finalize our franchise agreement with Major League Soccer,"
said Richard Peddie, president of MLSE.
"Toronto would be an excellent addition to Major League Soccer
under the leadership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, one of
the pre-eminent sports and entertainment companies in the world,"
commissioner Garber said. "We are enthusiastic about bringing an
MLS team to Toronto and are prepared to host the 2008 All-Star Game
and an MLS Cup in Toronto by 2012."
The stadium deal appeared dead in May when the CFL's Toronto Argonauts
announced they were staying at the Rogers Centre, a move that jeopardized
the Canadian Soccer Association's plans to build a new outdoor stadium
at York University.
In deciding not to relocate to York for the 2007 season, the Argos
also withdrew the $20 million it originally pledged to the building
of the new stadium. After the Argos pulled out, the university followed
suit and took off the table the $15 million it committed towards
the project.
The Canadian Soccer Association's stadium deal was revived, however,
when negotiations between Major League Soccer and MLSE escalated
over the past few months.
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