MLS Expansion to Minneapolis – St. Paul

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Now that talks about expanding MLS to Minneapolis – St. Paul are picking up, I thought I would create a thread regarding the topic.

 

MLS Commissioner Don Garber was recently in Chicago and discussed the league’s plan for Midwest expansion.  “The Midwest is a priority,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday. “Minneapolis is a big priority for us. We have two prospects that are hoping to join the league as soon as they can. … I’m hopeful we can resolve our lack of coverage in the Midwest with another team soon.”

 

Two ownership groups are vying for a MLS franchise for downtown Minneapolis.  Zygi Wilf, owner of the Vikings, is heading the first group and Bill McGuire, former CEO of UnitedHealth group and current owner of the Minnesota United FC is heading the other.  If Zygi lands the team, they will be playing in the new Vikings stadium.  McGuire and his group are proposing a new soccer-only stadium near Target Field. The stadium would seat upwards to 25,000 and would be located next to the downtown MPLS Farmers Market and the proposed Southwest light rail line.  

 

The MLS board of governors expects to meet with both McGuire’s group and the Wilfs in December, when it gathers for the MLS Cup final. 

 

Other cities vying to attract an MLS franchise include Miami, Las Vegas, Sacramento, St. Louis, Indianapolis, San Antonio and Austin.

 

Farmers Market Soccer Stadium Plan

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Representatives from four groups from Minneapolis - St. Paul, Sacramento, and Las Vegas pitched their expansion plans to MLS league executives yesterday (11/20/2014) in New York. Two groups from MPLS - STPL presented at the meeting was a precursor to expansion talks at the league's Board of Governors meetings on December 6th.

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Sports Illustrated has reported that the Minnesota United has landed the franchise team.  According to the report, "If United is able to start building relatively soon, it should be ready for a full MLS Season in 2018."  The new soccer stadium will be one of a number of new stadiums that have been built or opened since 2000 - the Xcel Energy Center (NHL and Lacrosse) opened in 2000; TCF Bank Stadium (D-1 Football) opened in 2009; Target Field (MLB) opened in 2009; CHS Field (Independent Professional Baseball) will be opening in May 2015; and the new Vikings Stadium (NFL), which will open in 2016.

 

^{Source: http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/03/13/mls-expansion-minnesota-united-vikings-sacramento}

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Minnesota Vikings owners (the Wilf family) have released a statement acknowledging that MLS is moving forward with and an outdoor, Minneapolis stadium, which means the MN United FC ownership group.  The new ownership group consists of the United FC current owner, Bill McGuire, the Pohlad family, owners of the MN Twin, and Glen Taylor, owner of the MN Timberwolves, MN Lynx, and the MPLS Star Tribune.

 

http://stmedia.startribune.com/documents/Vikings+statement+on+MLS.pdf

 

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MLS announcement on Minneapolis expansion at 11am CT today.

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It's official.  MLS execs stated they expect the Minneapolis team to begin play in 2018 as the league's 23rd club.

 

Here is the map of the new MLS stadium in downtown Minneapolis.  The MLS says its stadiums seat up to 27,000 and "share design concepts with some of the finest soccer venues in the world."

 

Once built, downtown Minneapolis will have 4 professional stadiums - Target Field (MLB), Target Center (NBA & WNBA), new Vikings stadium (NFL) and the new MLS stadium.