Funding for Chester soccer stadium proceeding slowly in Harrisburg

Philadelphia's status is slightly more . . . complicated.

There was widespread speculation that MLS commissioner Don Garber would choose Philly as its 16th team at Friday's State of the League address.

Now, that probably will not happen, said attorney Charles Kopp, who represents the investor group behind the proposed expansion team and soccer stadium in Chester. But the delayed announcement, Kopp said, is not expected to affect the project's timeline.

Delaware County officials agreed to contribute $30 million, in exchange for ownership of the land and stadium through a county sports authority. The investor group, led by Jay Sugarman, chief executive of New York-based iStar Financial, is now waiting for the state to chip in.

"That's what's holding it up," Kopp said of the state funding. "Everything else is in place."

There was some good news yesterday out of Harrisburg, where the Senate Appropriations Committee authorized spending $45 million on the Chester stadium and other area projects.

The $115 million stadium would be built on about 12 acres just south of the Commodore Barry Bridge. Construction would last an estimated 18 months and would create 1,000 construction jobs. Another 360 full-time jobs would be created once it is complete, Delaware County Council Chairman Andrew Reilly said last month.

The project has the backing of Gov. Rendell and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi - the former mayor of Chester - but a funding deal might not be easy.

Yesterday's authorization was not a commitment to spend the money. Technically, the state doesn't even have most of the cash, because its redevelopment assistance fund is maxed out.

"There are significantly more projects on the list than will be funded, so just the fact that it's on the list does not necessarily mean that it will be funded," Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo said.

Rendell is calling on the Senate to raise the state's debt limit to free up money for the 20,000-seat stadium. Until that happens, Ardo said, "the governor is restricted to giving moral support."

Pileggi has said he favors providing state funding for the project, but negotiations are under way to determine how much.

The bill that contains the stadium funding authorization must now pass the full Senate. The House must concur with the Senate amendments before the final bill reaches the governor's desk.

State Rep. Dwight Evans, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, backs the project, but said yesterday he would also take into account concerns being expressed by state Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (D-Chester).

Kirkland has been skeptical of an MLS stadium on the waterfront, questioning whether it would have any real benefits for Chester residents. He has said the city needs a supermarket, recreation center and better schools before it needs a soccer stadium.

"Those are very legitimate concerns that he has," said Evans (D-Philadelphia).

Regardless, the investors remain optimistic.

"We expect to get an amount [from the state] that's fair to both sides and will make construction of the stadium a reality," Kopp said, adding he would like to reach an agreement with the state by year's end.

Kopp said the Philadelphia group would like to play in the 2009 season in a temporary stadium, then move into the Chester stadium the following year. The league has said it wants to expand to 16 teams by 2010.

MLS officials also are seriously considering St. Louis as the next expansion team and are in discussions with about 10 other cities, according to Dan Courtemanche, the league's vice president of marketing and communications. He said that there is "no hard deadline" for the announcement of a 16th team, but that it could come by the end of this year or early next year. *