Carl H. Lindner III

Carl H. Lindner III is the owner and CEO of FC Cincinnati.

If anyone was paying attention last week to the public hearing hosted by the Hamilton County Commissioners, they saw an outpouring of enthusiastic proponents in support of building the new FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer stadium in Cincinnati. Marching to the percussion of drums with flags in tow, that sea of blue and orange made quite an entrance that will not be lost on anyone anytime soon.

For members of the FC Cincinnati ownership group, this passion was one of the driving forces behind our enthusiasm and investment to bring world-class soccer to our community. During our first home game in history, we expected a few thousand fans. Instead, we got 14,000. Since then, through the combination of big wins by our club, an unwavering spirit of giving back to our community, and an unmatched fan base built with broad support from our community and corporate partners, we have quickly grown into a first-class organization and positioned our city to win a Major League Soccer expansion bid. We have transcended from a start-up and created a culture fueling record crowds that will leave a lasting legacy. While our owners have different business interests, one thing ties us together, as it does for a vast majority of the region – our pride in this wonderful Greater Cincinnati community.

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The issue at hand is winning an MLS expansion bid over 11 other cities. To do so, we must submit a viable stadium development plan including a public-private funding solution, as Sacramento and Nashville have already done. The new stadium guarantees workable schedules and revenues that help grow a league just 20 years old.

Other cities experiencing a rebirth in the new innovation economy are leveraging the passion for soccer as a beacon for international business investment and population growth. That competitive edge should be part of our region’s future. Greater Cincinnati governments have a strong history of collaborating with individuals and companies to support businesses, non-profit organizations and neighborhoods through public-private partnerships. These partnerships are necessary when public or private dollars alone cannot finance the progress we want for our region.

With an eye towards promoting Cincinnati globally, the Lindner and Farmer families and an impressive ownership group have committed $250 million to bring MLS to Cincinnati. Now we are looking to create a model public-private partnership that protects the taxpayers against cost-overruns, against underperforming public revenue sources and against ongoing obligations to the team/stadium.

We agree that our community has many pressing needs and an FC Cincinnati stadium is but one priority among several challenges to be met. We are not asking the voters to build FC Cincinnati its stadium. Our ownership group is committed to spending at least $100 million (which represents over 50 percent) in the stadium ourselves and in the process, our vision includes helping to create a dramatic transformation in one of our community’s neighborhoods through what will be a multi-use facility.

As we know from our own riverfront redevelopment, pro sports teams, without question, contribute substantially to a region’s economic vitality. An MLS stadium will deliver significant benefits to the region with economic, global and social impacts. Generating increases in jobs, wages and self-employment during the construction phase, the positive economic impact would continue annually for a Major League Soccer team, as confirmed by economists who have studied this opportunity (go to FCCincinnati.com to review the official summary). And as a member of MLS, FC Cincinnati would attract visitors from outside of the region who would travel to the Queen City to visit, dine and enjoy our beautiful city.

The Cincinnati region is experiencing an exciting revitalization. Companies are choosing to expand and locate here, adding to our tax base and bringing talented people from around the world to work and live. I am proud that our new professional soccer franchise is a part of this renaissance. We are in the midst of adding significantly to the history and the pride of being a Cincinnatian. We believe that generations from now, people will feel the same pride in having FC Cincinnati as we do now.

Therefore, we encourage you to join us in supporting a fair public-private partnership to build a Major League Soccer stadium that earns Cincinnati a promotion over competing cities and keeps this magnificent story going.