An MLS team in Charlotte would be great -- but not like this

If there’s anything I’ve learned by watching “The West Wing,” “Scandal” and “House of Cards” it’s that politics is all about public perception. Politicians have to run for office again to keep their jobs and all it takes is one decision that can anger a bunch of voters and that could be the ballgame.

In front of both the Charlotte City Council and the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners is a proposal to use about $88 million of combined taxpayer money ($43.75 million coming from each) to destroy a historical landmark, Memorial Stadium, and in its place build a $175 million soccer stadium that will be controlled by a private business owned by rich NASCAR people, Marcus and Bruton Smith, with very few ways for the city and county to earn revenue back. All to try to convince Major League Soccer that Charlotte deserves a team.

OR

In front of both the city and the county is a proposal to use tourism dollars and capital funds, respectively, to replace a decrepit facility within a stone’s throw of Uptown and turn it into a world-class stadium that houses the country’s fastest-growing professional sport league, bringing in new business and out-of-town guests while putting Charlotte on the map of up-and-coming metropolitan cities.

It’s all about the spin.

Either way, the deadline to submit a bid to MLS is Jan. 31, and time is running out to figure out a stadium proposal.

I’ve seen a lot of people on social media decrying even the thought of the rushing to spend $88 million of hard-earned taxpayer money on another professional stadium.

At the county’s public forum earlier this week there were more for the proposal than against, but I’m willing to bet it was the “nays” that left a lasting impression on the commissioners’ minds. Mothers talking about their children’s schools falling apart, and a man referencing “Judas goats” (seriously, you should try to find a clip of this guy, it was kind of amazing). Soccer fans who love the sport but hate the idea of “billionaire welfare” and people holding handwritten signs reading “NO to MLS.”

Truth be told, I couldn’t even tell you what side of the debate I fall on at any given moment.

Reasonable Zach wants to say, “If the Smiths want to build it, then they should pay for it”.

That might mean that Memorial isn’t the right location. That might mean that they go back to the drawing board and try to figure out how to get a similar result with no, or less, public funding. It could mean bringing in more investors and ponying up for the city and county’s portion of the construction costs.

I think Memorial Stadium should be torn down and something new and great should be built in its place. I think a MLS team would be a great addition to the city’s already vibrant professional sports scene and could be successful both on and off the field. Just not like this. Not with the league deadline forcing the Smiths hand to push through a rushed deal, and not by asking our elected officials to approve tax money for a stadium when some basic studies haven’t been able to be made because of the rushed timeline.

Photo: Charlotte Observer file; David T. Foster III

This story was originally published January 26, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "An MLS team in Charlotte would be great -- but not like this."