Update On Soccer Stadium: Trip Rained Out

On Monday, Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper, councilman Gary Davis and two city staffers reportedly scheduled a trip to Dallas to scope out FC Dallas, the Frisco, Texas facility that houses a Major League Soccer team.

The idea, according to city manager Laura Gill’s administrative report during the March 14 city council meeting, was that she, economic development director Randy Starbuck, Cooper and Davis would visit the stadium and talk to team officials.

Poor weather in Dallas Monday morning forced cancellation of the trip.

Last month, Gill approved a $50,000 consultants expenditure to study the feasibility of Elk Grove hosting a professional soccer team.

City Councilman Steve Detrick says the idea of constructing such a sports facility isn’t out of the question.

“I am interested in bringing as many different sports at the highest level to Elk Grove,” Detrick said. “Soccer currently is the biggest youth sport in Elk Grove with over 7,000 boys and girls playing, not counting the adults programs.”

Detrick said the city is currently in the very early stages of looking into building a Major League soccer stadium with an adjacent tournament soccer facility.

“If we can get to a point where the financial numbers work, this could be huge for the City of Elk Grove and the Sacramento Region,” Detrick said. “Major sports like this can bring in a million dollars a weekend to a city with hotel, restaurant and retail sales.”