Punked - Johnson Beats Davis in Professional Soccer Race

Although published reports in local media this morning touted Elk Grove Mayor-elect Gary Davis' weekend meeting with the commissioner ...

Although published reports in local media this morning touted Elk Grove Mayor-elect Gary Davis' weekend meeting with the commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS), it was Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson who scored first in the regional race to land a professional sports team.
 

The Sacramento Bee, who initially reported Davis' weekend meeting with MLS Commissioner Don Gerber, has subsequently reported that Sacramento has landed a franchise with the United Soccer League (USL). The announcement came this morning at Sacramento City Hall.

The unnamed USL team will play at Sacramento City College's Hughes Stadium and will start play in 2014. Elk Grove does not currently have a comparable facility to host a professional team.

The USL team is being led by former Sacramento River Cats executive Warren Smith who noted that the area could support two professional soccer teams.

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3 comments

Anonymous said...

Dig deeper. While Johnson was negotiating with a third tier team that will draw a few hundred fans, our Mayor was meeting with MLS to bring a real team to the area.

Big pond lands small fish.

Small pond luring big fish.

Johnson is the one getting punked.

Charlie Marlow said...

One big problem for Elk Grove is there is currently no place a professional team to play that has enough seating.

Beyond that, say for arguments sake Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis and the city council can convince voters, a big if, it is in their best interest to float bonds and build a stadium/sports complex for the benefit of the Nunez group, how long will it take to get build? Four, five years from now is the best shot given the lengthy environmental and political grinders it will have to go through. By that time Sacramento city will know if professional soccer can make it in this region. If they make it, where does that put us? If they fail, are we that arrogant to think we will do it any better?

At least Sacramento doesn't appear to be giving away (any more than it already has to the Kings) taxpayer money to get their minor league soccer team.

What will Elk Grove give away this time? $40, $50 million to build a water park, softball field and soccer stadium that will employ minimum wage workers? Some economic development plan.

Mayor Davis and city council members please get real and quit chasing these pie in the sky scheme and focus on real economic development and not try to build these sporting temples dedicated to your massive collective ego.

Mayor Davis and dear city council members you are starting to look like a dog chasing its own tail.

Anonymous said...

Jobs-housing balance. A town of foreclosed homes and peanut vendors working at the stadium. What's wrong with that?

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