Minnesota United owner Bill McGuire is gaining control of the Midway Shopping Center as its master tenant, removing the last major impediment toward building a Major League Soccer stadium on the St. Paul site.

St. Paul Port Authority President Lee Krueger said McGuire’s decision to buy out the mortgage for the Rainbow Foods store will allow the team to finally demolish the supermarket and make room for the stadium’s northern edges.

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Minnesota United’s injury list won’t shrink much in near future Under an agreement with St. Paul, McGuire had until this Sunday to line up control of the shopping center and ensure that the stadium project moves forward.

The decision also ends the Port Authority’s involvement, and possibly that of Irgens, a Milwaukee-based developer that had been lined up this summer to gain control of the shopping center but had yet to sign the necessary development agreement with the authority.

“We haven’t been involved in discussions these last 10 days or so,” Krueger said.

The city and other public sources are devoting more than $18 million in infrastructure and cleanup to the area in and around the stadium site.

The $200 million stadium itself will be privately funded by the team and its investment partners.

Construction began this summer on the south end of the future stadium site, where Metro Transit once operated a bus storage facility.

As redevelopment of the Midway Shopping Center moves forward, McGuire has several options, including partnering with Irgens, landowner RK Midway or still another development partner.

Located off Snelling and University avenues, the 19,400-seat expandable, bowl-shaped stadium is expected to host Minnesota United in early 2019.

Minnesota United officials declined to comment when reached Friday afternoon.

Andy Greder contributed to this report.