SC STL’s investment in the stadium would be the third-largest percentage-wise in the Midwest among MLS teams, according to an analysis by California-based Barrett Sports Group. Dallas FC’s stadium in Frisco, Texas, opened in 2005 and was half publicly funded, and the Chicago Fire’s stadium that opened in 2006 in Bridgeview, Ill., was 44 percent privately funded.

While other relatively new MLS stadiums have cost less, such as the Earthquakes’ 18,000-seat, $100 million Avaya Stadium built in 2015 about three miles from downtown San Jose, Calif., Edgerley said the sport is continuing to grow in popularity and so the price tag is investing “in front of the curve.”

“We looked at stadiums that have been built recently and we talked to MLS about how to make sure the fans have a good experience,” Edgerley said. “They want it to have the right level of amenities to make it a good experience, and also structured in a way that can be used for a broad set of purposes, not just soccer.”

Edgerley said the downtown site here is more expensive to develop than perhaps other parts of the city, but that location would form a “corridor” of sports and entertainment venues that would ultimately provide a better game-day experience.