AUSTIN

moving out of town should it ever desire to do so,” said Chris Dunlavey of Brailsford & Dunlavey, who made a presentation at the council’s work session Tuesday.

Precourt Sports Ventures, which bought the operating rights to the Crew in 2013, announced in October it would consider relocating the team to Austin after the 2018 season, citing concerns about corporate sponsorships, attendance and an aging Mapfre Stadium

on the state fairgrounds. The Crew’s land lease agreement with the Ohio Exposition Commission runs through 2023.

The recommendation of a non-relocation clause and several others set up the Austin council’s first group discussion about a potential stadium at McKalla Place in northern Austin since PSV released a 189-page proposal on June 1.

The city published its own analysis of the site, which included an economic-impact report from Brailsford & Dunlavey, earlier that day. As a result, a handful of council members posed questions

regarding PSV’s plan and the city's analysis that they want answered.

Soccer is likely to be on the agenda at the council’s June 28 meeting, the last one before a break until August. PSV officials have said they would like to have some sort of stadium agreement or letter of intent in place by the end of June to be able to commit to the move.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo said she is “still very optimistic” about the idea of a Major League Soccer team in Austin, but she noted a few components she did not see addressed in the PSV proposal. She said she would like to see higher

green-building ratings, a greater allowance for public use of the stadium, guidelines for local hiring in the stadium-construction process, and a check on stadium advertising, as the stadium will be “donated” to the city according to the terms proposed by PSV.

Through a spokesman, PSV declined to add comment on the discussions.

Tovo also said she is uncomfortable with PSV being able to unilaterally exercise an option to buy the stadium and land after the initial 20-year lease, as spelled out in the PSV proposal.

Council member Alison Alter noted there is not yet an analysis by the city of PSV’s proposal.

“That’s what I’m waiting for,” Alter said. “I want a real analysis of their actual proposal that calculates what these (city) costs are and what the forgone revenues are, and all of those kinds of things.”

McKalla Place had previously been identified as a site for affordable housing. Tovo said she would like the council to identify another site for affordable housing in the event it proceeds with the stadium plan.

Council member Leslie Pool, whose district includes McKalla Place and who has expressed concerns about the PSV proposal, reiterated that she plans to bring a resolution allowing others to submit proposals for the site. Two development groups have publicly expressed interest.

“We haven’t yet decided whether a stadium is appropriate for this site because we don’t have sufficient information,” Pool said. A request for proposals "can compare what PSV has offered (to) other parties who have indicated an interest.”