COLUMBUS – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the city of Columbus are going to court to stop the owner of the Columbus Crew SC from moving the Major League Soccer franchise to Austin, Texas.
The lawsuit filed Monday against Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS is aimed at ensuring that owner Anthony Precourt and the follow a state law passed following the Cleveland Browns’ abrupt move to Baltimore.
“Loyal Crew fans in Columbus have invested their time and loyalty in this team, and they have allowed the Crew SC to capitalize from financial incentives paid for by their tax dollars. I am left with no other choice than to file this suit to ensure our laws are followed,” DeWine said.
You can read the full lawsuit we filed today against Precourt Sports Ventures here: https://t.co/hK8TG59gdb #SaveTheCrew #CrewSC pic.twitter.com/BxeftIx5J0
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 5, 2018
Precourt and the league say they’re reviewing the and anticipated having more comment Tuesday about the litigation.
The 1996 law prohibits owners whose teams use tax-supported facilities and accept financial assistance from state and local governments from moving their teams elsewhere unless they give at least six months advance notice of the intention to move and give the city or a local individual or group a chance to buy the team.
“We have a rich history of professional soccer and some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the league,” said Mayor Andrew Ginther. “Just as importantly, the team plays in a taxpayer-supported facility, and Precourt Sports Ventures and Major League Soccer have accepted financial assistance from the state of Ohio and the City of Columbus. State law provides us with this protection.”
Precourt last year made it known that he was considering a move to Austin after the 2018 season unless a new stadium was built closer to downtown to replace the aging MAPFRE Stadium, located near the state fairgrounds on the North Side.
The lawsuit filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court also names the owners of MAPFRE Stadium and the company which leases the stadium property from the state.
The suit claims that the Crew and the stadium’s owners have benefitted from millions of dollars worth of tax-funded improvements and state and local tax exemptions for the land on which the stadium sits and which is
leased “at a below-market rate.”
Messages were left for Precourt and for Major League Soccer seeking comment.
The Crew opens the 2018 season at home against the Montreal Impact Saturday afternoon.