Major League Soccer and Nashville SC are putting public pressure on Mayor John Cooper to follow through on a deal to build a new soccer stadium in Nashville.

In a joint statement released Thursday, soccer officials say there is "deep disappointment" that the mayor has not come to a consensus with the team's ownership group on the future of the MLS stadium at Fairgrounds Nashville.

"The Mayor’s continued refusal to proceed is a deep disappointment to Nashville SC and MLS. Nashville SC has agreed to work with the Mayor’s office over the next week to advance the discussions and finalize a plan to begin the stadium construction project," said the statement.

Nashville SC and MLS are asking for an update on a "mutually agreeable solution" by Feb. 6.

The $250 million soccer stadium project, approved by the Metro Council in 2017, is stalled as Cooper has held off since October on signing paperwork to green light demolition of the old fairground expo centers, a needed step to make way for the stadium.

The statement Thursday is the first public stance the ownership group has taken to express frustration at the delays. It was released hours after Cooper and Nashville businessman John Ingram, who leads the team's ownership group, traveled to New York on Thursday to meet with the MLS Commissioner Don Garber about the deal.

The team said it has proposed several solutions to Cooper to "satisfy his concerns" but to no avail. During Thursday's meeting, Garber made it clear to Cooper that the "league would not have awarded Nashville an expansion team without the commitment made by the city to build a soccer stadium at the Fairgrounds," the statement read.

Cooper, back in Nashville on Thursday afternoon, said in a statement that he will continue to "chart a path forward that makes good financial sense" for the city.

He doubled down on making a deal that includes the Fairgrounds Speedway racetrack, saying he also met with auto racing advocates this week.

“Since entering office four months ago, I’ve worked towards a complete solution for the Fairgrounds that is both financially sustainable and results in a successful, unified site plan," the mayor said.

How did we get here? Timeline of Nashville SC's MLS expansion, stadium developments

Cooper has said more negotiations must take place so that taxpayers will not be on the hook for infrastructure costs surrounding the stadium, including upgrading water and sewer lines, roads and possibly a new bridge.

But few details have been shared by Cooper, who told reporters Monday that overrun estimates for stadium-related infrastructure show at least a "doubling" of what was determined under the approved plan.

At-large Council member Bob Mendes told The Tennessean that while he appreciates Cooper "installing new discipline" in how Nashville handles development, it is time for renegotiations on the stadium deal to end.

"For the Office of the Mayor to have credibility in the future, there has to be some level of continuity between administrations," Mendes said in a statement. "Fish or cut bait. Finish the new deal or tell us why it fell apart."

Council member Colby Sledge, whose district includes the fairgrounds, said there is no reason to delay the project "one day longer."

"The Nashville SC stadium will bring with it a new community gathering place, hundreds of jobs and homes, and a Community Benefits Agreement that ensures this project works for Nashvillians at risk of being left behind," Sledge said in a statement.

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. President Butch Spyridon told The Tennessean he has personally been in several meetings with Cooper discussing possible solutions and remedies.

"I know he is working feverishly to find a path forward that is good for everyone," Spyridon said, while also adding he understands the frustration by soccer officials.

What was the deal?

Under the previously approved project plan, the city would issue $225 million in revenue bonds for the 30,500-seat stadium while the team would would chip in an initial $25 million capital contribution. The team has committed to cover all stadium overrun costs, and separately is tasked with covering a $150 million expansion fee with MLS.

Meanwhile, the Metro Council approved two separate $25 million general obligation bond deals related to the fairgrounds, one for general fairgrounds upgrades including the new expo centers and another for infrastructure work around the site related to the stadium.

Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre told The Tennessean in August the stadium expenses are expected to be between $50 million and $70 million more than initial estimates, but the team will foot the bill for those costs.

Under a 30-year stadium lease agreement, the Ingram-led ownership group would pay around $9 million annually to help retire an estimated $13 million in annual debt.

If sales and $1.75 ticket tax revenues fall below $4 million for the first five years of operation, or $3 million in years six through 10, Metro would be on the hook to make up the difference from non-tax revenue sources.

The project, touted as 90% funded by either the ownership group or revenue generated by the stadium, is different from past Nashville stadium deals — for Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena and First Tennessee Park — where the city has incurred larger shares of debt payments.

The 99-year ground lease for a separate 10-acre development at the fairgrounds calls for the ownership to pay a minimum of $200,000 annually for the first 30 years, at which point the amount would escalate, totaling at least $22.8 million over the entire 99 years. Fifty percent of property taxes generated at the mixed-use development would be reinvested in the fairgrounds.

Community stakeholders say they need to be included

Ingram and Stand Up Nashville, a coalition of community stakeholders, separately made a community benefits agreement that guaranteed affordable housing, community services like child care, $15.50 wages for stadium workers, and a committee that will oversee the goals of the agreement.

Stand Up Nashville is calling on both parties to broker a deal with transparency and with community input.

"I've got Nashville Soccer Holdings and I've got the mayor's office riding around in cars, talking about how the development looks and not even once did they ask me," Stand Up Nashville Executive Director Odessa Kelly said Wednesday at a community meeting.

In December, Cooper and Ingram toured the Nashville fairgrounds site in the mayor's Prius.

"Did they ask you?" Kelly asked the group of residents that filled the pews at Watson Grove Missionary Baptist Church. "But that's what (Cooper) ran on saying (he) would. Took office saying they'll keep you in those decision makings."

The landmark agreement, the first of its kind in Tennessee, proved key in bringing many undecided voters over when Metro Council gave the stadium project its final stamp of approval.

The community advisory committee — established to track that the benefits agreement is upheld — was finally formed in late December and had its first meeting this month.

Full joint statement

Below is the full joint statement by MLS and Nashville SC:

"Driven by the excitement of fans around Nashville SC’s opening game and the city’s bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we couldn’t be more excited about soccer’s potential in Nashville. Earlier today, we met with Mayor John Cooper at Major League Soccer’s office in New York City to discuss the status of Nashville SC’s stadium project. The new stadium and ancillary development have very broad support throughout Nashville and has been overwhelmingly approved multiple times by Metro Council. Despite that, Mayor Cooper has not provided approval to begin the demolition to move forward with the stadium project. So, for the past four months, Nashville SC has worked to make the stadium deal even better and has proposed a number of new solutions to satisfy his concerns. Even with these proposed new solutions, the Mayor today refused to commit to move forward with the demolition and the approved stadium plan. During today’s meeting, MLS Commissioner Don Garber made it clear to Mayor Cooper that Major League Soccer would not have awarded Nashville an expansion team without the commitment made by the city to build a soccer stadium at the Fairgrounds. The Mayor’s continued refusal to proceed is a deep disappointment to Nashville SC and MLS. Nashville SC has agreed to work with the Mayor’s office over the next week to advance the discussions and finalize a plan to begin the stadium construction project. We hope for a mutually agreeable solution and expect to have an update regarding the project by February 6.

Yihyun Jeong covers politics in Nashville for USA TODAY NETWORK - TENNESSEE. Reach her at yjeong@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @yihyun_jeong.