最新杏吧原创

The new agreement, approved on a unanimous vote by the Missouri Development Finance Board, calls for tax credits worth $5.7 million to help fuel construction of a $457.8 million soccer complex on the western edge of downtown.

The ownership group 鈥� World Wide Technology CEO Jim Kavanaugh and rental car giant Enterprise Holdings鈥� Taylor family 鈥� has remained in discussions with the board since it was tripped up in December when the $30 million it sought was blocked by Gov. Mike Parson鈥檚 administration.

鈥淚 feel a lot better about this project. It is certainly more doable,鈥� said board chairwoman Marie Carmichael.

The new agreement will help the group pay for the rerouting and installation of utilities in the area around the Market Street site, near Union Station.

The stadium will sit on land mostly owned by the State of Missouri as part of a series of exit ramps from Highway 40 (Interstate 64). Some utility work on the site has already begun.

The stadium is being designed to provide a western endpoint to the Gateway Mall, which stretches east to the Arch. A new public plaza on the eastern edge of the stadium would be the size of Kiener Plaza downtown, and would provide another venue for events.

Although he voted in favor of the project, board treasurer John Mehner raised concerns about approving the project at a time when the world is focused on battling the coronavirus.

鈥淚鈥檓 worried about the optics ... and whether this is the exact right time to take action,鈥� said Mehner, who suggested waiting for up to two months to take up action on the tax credits.

Otis Williams, director of 最新杏吧原创鈥� Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, urged the board to grant its approval so the stadium could be open for the start of the team鈥檚 season in March 2022.

鈥淲ork has started and the project is moving forward. It would be prudent for us to have this portion locked down,鈥� Williams said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e on a tight time line,鈥� added Bill Kuehling, a Thompson Coburn attorney who is working for the ownership group.

Construction workers were busy on the site Tuesday morning. At least one ramp to Highway 40 (Interstate 64) had already been removed.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, who sits on the development board, said he views the board鈥檚 action as sending a signal to people dealing with the coronavirus outbreak that the state is committed to job creation.

鈥淲e want people to understand we will get through this,鈥� Kehoe told board members.

City action delayed

The 最新杏吧原创 Port Authority also was scheduled to consider a resolution to expand its boundaries, another step tied to the stadium鈥檚 development, but delayed action on Tuesday.

The MLS ownership group has asked the city for a special 1% sales tax on stadium purchases levied through the port. That tax would be in addition to two other 1% sales taxes through a Community Improvement District and a Transportation Development District.

Some members of the Board of Aldermen, however, have been reluctant to expand the Port Authority鈥檚 jurisdiction, which is currently limited to the riverfront.

A scaled-back version, which would expand the authority鈥檚 reach to much of downtown and include the stadium site, was presented to the board of the Port Authority Tuesday. But Williams asked that a vote be delayed while his staff firms up support among aldermen, who aren鈥檛 scheduled to meet again until next month.

A larger port would allow the city to take advantage of new state law allowing it to capture some state tax revenue generated by new jobs within its boundaries. And, Williams said, there could well be new federal grants available to port districts if Congress passes some sort of stimulus in the wake of the coronavirus.

Post-Dispatch reporter Jacob Barker contributed to this report.