Subdude Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Officials do more groundwork to land MLS franchisePractice facilities sought to help bid for EarthquakesBy BILL MURPHYCopyright 2004 Houston ChronicleOfficials are surveying local soccer facilities to determine whether any could serve as practice fields for a professional team that might land in Houston.ADVERTISEMENTThe search is part of local officials' efforts to sell the city to a Mexico City group that might buy and relocate the San Jose Earthquakes, said Oliver Luck, CEO of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, on Tuesday.The University of Houston's Robertson Stadium likely would serve as the Major League Soccer team's home field, and UH officials say increased use of the field would require installation of artificial turf.Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of the San Jose team, is considering selling the Earthquakes to Televiso, a Mexican network that owns Club America. The Mexican group has told local officials it would move the team to Houston or San Antonio.But AEG, which also owns the Los Angeles Kings and Staples Center in Los Angeles, has given potential investors from the San Jose area until Sept. 17 to buy the team. AEG also has been discussing with the Santa Clara, Calif., City Council a plan for that city to build a stadium, said Earthquakes spokesman Seth Burton.Luck said his staff is working hard to find out which area soccer fields could serve as practice sites. An alternative would be for the city or county to build or help build practice fields, he said.Dave Maggard, UH's athletic director, said UH could be willing to lease Robertson Stadium to an MLS team. But the grass field would not hold up for UH football games, women's soccer games, three or four Texas Southern University football games and 15 MLS games, he said.The Club America group "may want to put in Field Turf for us," Maggard said.It would cost about $800,000 to install Field Turf, considered the best of the artificial surfaces by many college and pro players, at Robertson, he said.The Club America-Televiso group has retained Ricardo Ampudia, who served as consul general in Mexico's Consulate in Houston in the 1980s, to advise it on whether it should move the Earthquakes to San Antonio or Houston, said Councilman Adrian Garcia."He knows the city well. That's got to help," Garcia said.While on other business in Mexico City next week, Garcia said he will meet with Ampudia, who toured Robertson Stadium about a month ago, and Club America officials to reiterate the city's interest in professional soccer."Houston has got a lot to offer," Garcia said. "We've got a strong Hispanic population. Soccer is alive and well in Houston."Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Come to katy, we got tons of soccer fields:P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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