DO SO.2-ROBERT:A MAJOR
MILESTONE -- THE CITY OF
AUSTIN HAS FINALIZED A DEAL
FOR PRECOURT SPORTS VENTURES
TO BUILD A MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
STADIUM AT MCKALLA PLACE IN
NORTH AUSTIN. SYDNEY:THAT'S
NEAR BRAKER LANE AND BURNET
ROAD.WE TOLD YOU EARLIER -
SOME SPECIFIC TERMS OF THAT
AGREEMENT -- HOW PRECOURT
PROMISES TO FULLY FUND THE NEW
STADIUM, SO YOUR TAXES WON'T
GO UP. SYDNEY:BUT AS KXAN'S
YOOJIN CHO DISCOVERED...
PRECOURT WILL STILL NEED TO
CLEAR SOME HURDLES BEFORE ANY
CONSTRUCTION CAN BEGIN.CITY
OFFICIALS TELL US... THIS
190-PAGE LEASE... ...HAS NO
SURPRISES. KATHIE TOVO, MAYOR
PRO TEM: "IT IS VERY IN LINE
WITH EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNCIL
ASKED OUR CITY STAFF TO DO."IT
DOES, HOWEVER, OUTLINE SOME
DEADLINES. LESLIE POOL, CITY
COUNCIL MEMBER: "IF MLS HASN'T
MADE ANY ADDITIONAL PROGRESS
ON ASSIGNING A TEAM TO AUSTIN,
THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN PULL
THE PLUG."IF MLS DOESN'T GIVE
AUSTIN AN EXPANSION TEAM...OR
IF PRECOURT DOESN'T SUBMIT A
BASIC STADIUM PLAN BY MARCH
1ST... THE AGREEMENT COULD BE
SCRAPPED. LESLIE POOL:"IT
DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYBODY
WOULD PULL THE PLUG. IT JUST
MEANS THAT THAT'S KIND OF
ANOTHER DEADLINE TO LOOK AT TO
INCENTIVIZE ACTION, DISCUSSION
AND ACTION."ANOTHER STEP THAT
WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN --
YOOJIN CHO:"PRECOURT WILL HAVE
TO GO THROUGH THE CITY'S
PERMITTING PROCESS, JUST LIKE
ANY OTHER DEVELOPER WHO WANTS
TO BUILD IN OUR CITY." LESLIE
POOL:"PRECOURT WOULD BE
EXPECTED TO FOLLOW ALL THE
RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE
OUT THERE FOR ANY OTHER
DEVELOPMENT."DAVID GREELEY,
PRESIDENT OF PRECOURT SPORTS
VENTURES:"THERE'S A LOT OF
WORK AHEAD. WE CURRENTLY HAVE
A PROJECT MANAGER. WE HAVE AN
ARCHITECT. ONE OF THE NEXT
STEPS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IS
HIRING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR."
MANY PEOPLE ARE HOPEFUL --
KATHIE TOVO: "MY EXPECTATION
IS WE'LL BE HEARING FROM MAJOR
LEAGUE SOCCER SOON RESOLVING,
RESOLVING WHAT OUR TEAM WILL
LOOK LIKE HERE IN THE CITY OF
AUSTIN."YOOJIN CHO KXAN NEWS.
SYDNEY:SOME PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE NEW
STADIUM WILL AFFECT TRAFFIC.
ACCORDING TO THE LEASE...
PRECOURT SPORTS VENTURES WILL
BE PAYING 3 AND A HALF MILLION
DOLLARS TO CAPITAL METRO OVER
15 YEARS.CAPMETRO TOLD US
TONIGHT -- WHILE IT'S TOO
EARLY TO SAY HOW THAT MONEY
WILL BE USED... THEY WILL LOOK
AT SOME SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS
IN MONTHS.ROBERT: THE CITY OF
AUSTIN HAS A DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS EVERY NEW BUSINESS HAS
TO FOLLOW. FIRST - THE
DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT
LOOKS AT POTENTIAL ISSUES ON
THE LAND.. AND DOES A
PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW. NEXT
THERE WILL BE A ZONING REVIEW
TO LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. THE
THIRD STEP IS TO MAKE SURE THE
LOT DESIGN COMPLIES WITH CITY
CODE AND STATE LAW. THE SITE
PLAN WILL THEN BE CREATED THAT
DETAILS CONSTRUCTION AND
TRANSPORTATION. THE FIFTH STEP
LOOKS INTO COMPLIANCE WITH
SIGNS, HEALTH, FIRE AND
ELECTRICAL SERVICE. AS EACH
STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION IS
COMPLETE - PROPERTY OWNERS
MUST HAVE REQUIRED
INSPECTIONS. ROBERT:EARLIER
THIS MONTH, AN OHIO JUDGE
RULED THE LAWSUIT AGAINST
ANTHONY PRECOURT OVER A
POTENTIAL MOVE OF THE CLUB,
CAN CONTINUE.BUT CURRENTLY A
DEAL IS PENDING TO SELL THE
COLUMBUS CREW TO ANOTHER OWNER.
IT WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR AN
EXPANSION TEAM IN AUSTIN OWNED
BY PRECOURT.COLUMBUS HAS
ALREADY PUSHED FORWARD ON
PLANS FOR A NEW STAIDUM.AND
EARLIER THIS MONTH, MLS
COMMISSIONER DON GARBER SPOKE
PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME
ABOUT A PLAN FOR A TEAM IN
AUSTIN.ROBERT:THE AUSTIN BOLD
OF THE UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE
ANNOUNCED THE NEW TEAM'S
SCHEDULE.THE TEAM OPENS PLAY
