Missouri State Representative Keith English (District – 62) has drafted a bill Proposed to finance a St. Louis MLS Stadium. The bill named House Bill No.2378 asks for a 0.1% sales tax hike (which is smaller than the 0.2% Arch renovation tax hike) that has to follow a strict set of guidelines under his bill.
I interviewed Rep. English about it to give the public more details on the bill. He emphasized unlike the NFL issues, this bill would be voted on by the public, saying, “That [the tax] is only for St. Louis, it would be voted on by the city, then voted on by the county. It is filled under the same style [of law] as the Arch grounds tax bill.”
So this time people do get to vote on the financing. Which was a major gripe for the NFL Stadium.
Now as for how much this tax hike can make for stadium plan, Rep. English says very specifically that it can not exceed $100-million dollars and that any left over tax revenue will go to the St. Louis Sports Authority which will oversee the stadium being built, so if the stadium only cost $85-million from this specific tax fund. the extra $15-million would go to making sure any additional cost of building the stadium (which happens almost every time one is built).
When talking with Rep. English he was very clear about how this plan will be everything the NFL deal was not. The biggest part of the bill arguable is the lines 41-46 when it says that the MLS must agree to a 30-year deal to play at that stadium. If the MLS agrees to the deal then bails out before the deal is done, they cover the cost.
It should also be noted this tax will only go into play IF the MLS agrees to the 30-year lease terms.
There have also been questions about if the recent “Stadium Task Force” will be involved, Rep. English responded, ” The greater St. Louis Sports Authority would oversee the project, at this time there is no need for a task force.”
Now this bill is not yet at a place where it will be voted upon. I asked what the step by step approach is and it goes as followed:
- Refer the bill to a standing committee on local government.
- If approved, it goes to a selective committee on local government.
- If approved it will be voted on by the House of Representatives and would need 82 votes to pass.
- The local Senator (Gina Walsh) would have to carry the legislation to the Senate where it would have to be passed.
- We (the people) get to vote on it in St. Louis.
2 comments
[…] more in depth look at the proposed bill and all it entails is found at ArchCitySports written by Scott […]
I have been calling this move from 1000 miles away. Stan fucking Kroenke will get another municipality to build him a rent free facility to move his MLS team into, because the Rapids play in a crap part of town. Give them a nice shiny downtown stadium to play in, and BAM. here come the STL Rapids, soon to be renamed. The guy is so easy to read. Do not fall for yet another taxpayer supported stadium. Make the owners of the franchise pay for the place they play. This shit has to stop. It is criminal what the richest family in the country is able to get away with. I am sure they will get all kinds of politicians sucking up, just because it is WalMArt money. It’s Bullshit money. Make them pay. If they want to take your money in ticket prices and concessions, they should pony up for the stadium, it will keep them from running off to LA with a team at the drop of a hat. It’s the only way to stop them from playing on peoples emotional connection to the sports franchise that represents their community. These criminal billionaire robber barons are the worst element. Don’t let them do it.
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