Culminating months of negotiation by the city, county and the Spurs organization, a pact was sealed Monday for public acquisition of Toyota Field as part of an intricate plan to woo Major League Soccer to San Antonio.

Bexar County officials gave final approval to the city-county purchase of the Northeast Side soccer stadium for $18 million, for potential use by an MLS expansion team. The county and city each provided $9 million to buy the stadium.

The Commissioners Court and the City Council agreed to collaborate with Spurs Sports & Entertainment to operate the stadium while it attempts to secure an MLS franchise as soon as possible.

“It’s an extraordinary agreement,” County Judge Nelson Wolff said. “Something like this has never been done before.”

San Antonio and Bexar County approved a 20-year lease agreement with Spurs-owned San Antonio Football Club Management LLC, with a rent of $100,000 annually.

Additionally, to create a fund for upgrades and deferred maintenance at Toyota Field, home to the minor-league Scorpions since 2012, the Spurs group agreed to kick in $1 million, with a match of $1 million from the city and county, or $500,000 each.

“We are ready to go,” Spurs vice president Bobby Perez told the Commissioners Court on Monday. “We’re excited about it. ... We couldn’t be happier.”

In a special session Monday, the court appropriated the county’s half of the stadium purchase price, with the proceeds going to the nonprofit that owns the field and two adjoining facilities: the amateur STAR Soccer Complex and Morgan’s Wonderland, a park for people with special needs.

“It’s important for taxpayers to know that the funding that we will put up is going to a nonprofit. It will serve Morgan’s Wonderland for children. You couldn’t be putting your money into a better place,” Wolff said.

Last week, a public finance corporation was formed to own and operate the stadium and soccer complex. By today, the entity will have title to the land, and the project will move forward.

Morgan’s Wonderland will continue to be operated by the nonprofit.

While Monday’s action dealt with the land purchase and lease agreement, the court last week authorized numerous business provisions calling for the Spurs organization to move quickly in securing an MLS franchise.

The county and the city have agreed to conduct a countywide election, probably within a few years, to pay for stadium upgrades once an MLS team is awarded to San Antonio. The election would be no earlier than Nov. 1, 2017, the pact states.

It’s unclear what will transpire with the Scorpions franchise of the North American Soccer League. However, Perez, Wolff, Scorpions owner Gordon Hartman and others scheduled an open-to-the-public event at the stadium at 10 a.m. today, when a “major announcement regarding the future of soccer in San Antonio” is planned, possibly involving the United Soccer League.

Yet to be determined are how proceeds from tickets, concessions and fees would be divided by the parties involved. Those decisions would come after San Antonio has a commitment for an MLS team, officials said.

Wolff said he’s eager to see the Spurs step up efforts to draw MLS to San Antonio.

“That’s the only reason we’re really doing this,” Wolff said. “I’m so pleased to see the enthusiasm on their (Spurs) part, and their willingness to sign a document that sets out the things they’ll have to do.”

After meeting with MLS officials, Wolff said that within a couple of years, the league may consider adding several more teams. The Spurs and the entire community must work to persuade MLS to expand to San Antonio, he said.

“If we’re going to go to MLS, we’re going to need to show them we do have a fan base here, and we do have great support for soccer,” Wolff said.

Among the Spurs group’s first chores is conducting a feasibility study on expanding and improving the amateur fields and the stadium, which was designed to accommodate growth. Then a proposition to fund improvements could be taken to local voters, Wolff said.

The lease includes penalties that San Antonio Football Club Management would pay the city and the county if many years pass without the arrival of MLS. In years six through eight of the deal, a claw-back fee was set at $250,000 per year; in year nine, $500,000; in year 10, $750,000; and in years 11 through 13, $1 million a year.

For assuming risks, the football club would be assured 10 years of exclusive use of Toyota Field for an MLS team.

jgonzalez@express-news.net

Twitter: @johnwgonzalez