Charlotte Observer reports on the fledgling debate over Mecklenburg County using capital funds for the proposed Major League Soccer stadium—-should the Queen City be awarded and expansion franchise, that is:
The county plans to spend $268 million for the park upgrades – including $100 million for stadium renovations for Memorial Stadium. County Manager Dena Diorio said that the stadium money wouldn’t go for other park projects if the city doesn’t land the team.
The proposed capital budget includes $71.25 million for the stadium next year, and then another $47.5 million for fiscal year 2020. After that, the county would begin collecting lease payments of $4.26 million a year from the potential soccer team, whose prospective ownership group is led by Marcus Smith of Speedway Motorsports. Charlotte hasn’t been awarded an expansion team yet.
And if Charlotte doesn’t land an MLS franchise? Well then–according to County Manager Dena Diorio— the “the nearly $120 million for the stadium would return to the county’s pay-go fund and could be used for other things, such as schools.”
