Tellem, vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons, didn't want to say much more than that when asked about the MLS bid at a Ford Field luncheon hosted by the Detroit Economic Club.

"We're moving forward. We are providing the MLS with our plans for the franchise. We're hoping to get them to Detroit in November, the expansion committee. They've asked us not to comment on where we are in the process," he said."We've got a good case, a compelling case with ownership."

Tellem said additional material related to Detroit's bid has been sent recently to the league office.

His boss, Detroit Pistons owner and private equity billionaire Tom Gores, is seeking the team in a joint bid with Detroit real estate industrialist and fellow NBA team owner Dan Gilbert, who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tellem previously told Crain's he expects the Detroit bid to be made in November at the league's Chicago headquarters.

MLS expects to announce the first two of four future expansion markets during its December ownership meeting. Tellem has said the Detroit bid will be prepared with the intention of being one of those two markets, which are intended to begin play in 2020.

Gores and Gilbert last year unveiled a $1 billion plan to build a 20,000-plus seat soccer-specific stadium and mixed-use development of office and residential towers at the site of the unfinished Wayne County jail site downtown. Talks remain ongoing on securing the site.