Council identifies eight sites for MLS stadium in Austin

The ball is rolling on efforts to bring major league soccer to Austin. The Austin City Council is taking a look at eight different sites but some residents don’t want a stadium to be built in their neighborhood.

Treasures of the Barton Place Homeowners Association Glenn Neal said the neighborhood near Butler Shores is quiet and relatively small. He said the traffic would be a nightmare on Toomey Road and after a residential poll 90 percent of the people living in that area agree.

"We do think it's a bad idea to have a stadium here I understand that there are eight sites now in consideration many of them more suitable then Butler Shores," said Neal. “With that density comes noise light pollution, traffic of course.”

Butler Shores Park is about 28 acres and the preliminary design for the MLS stadium seats 20,000 people. Neal said it would place the neighborhood in gridlock.

However, Butler Shores Park is one of eight sites others include Mckalla Property, former St.. Johns Home depot, Walnut Creek Sports Complex, Travis County Expo Center, Bolm Road District Park, Roy G. Guerrero Park and Toney Burger Activity Center.

President of Pre-Court Sports Ventures Dave Greeley said ideally they’d like to have the stadium downtown. "There would be a huge economic development consideration there are other social benefits that come with major league sports,” Greeley said. “But ultimately we are going to need to have a dialogue with the community to understand what those might be."

Dozens of people signed a petition in support of MLS coming to Austin.

Greeley said he understands hesitation from residents and hopes the team can find an ideal site that will appease everyone. "We are super thrilled to be in Austin we are very bullish on the opportunity and MLS to Austin can work if we get the right stadium site," said Greeley.

The Austin City Council will have the Parks and Recreation Department review the 8 properties and decide which would benefit from the potential growth of an MLS stadium.