FC Cincinnati stadium: County agreement to build garage expires

UPDATE Feb. 28, 2018

Hamilton County's agreement to build a 1,000-space parking garage for a soccer stadium will expire today, barring a last-minute announcement from Major League Soccer about FC Cincinnati being an expansion franchise. 

The county extended the deadline for an announcement this month to Feb. 28, thinking a decision from MLS was imminent, said Hamilton County Commissioner and Board President Todd Portune.

Portune wouldn't say Wednesday whether the agreement would be renewed. He did say he wouldn't set a new deadline.

"FCC had asked us to enact a resolution back in January because a lot of people were asking that question," Portune said. "I think they thought that everything would be resolved by the end of February, and it’s not. So we’re kind of back in that same boat, but there’s really no need for us to act on anything right now.” 

Commissioner Denise Driehaus said she expects the board of commissioners will renew the agreement. She hopes to put a more reasonable expiration date of late May or early June. 

But if there's not enough community support for the garage in the West End, Oakley or wherever it locates, then the agreement to build the garage is null, Driehaus said. 

"Are the parking needs the same in the West End as they are in Oakley?" Driehaus said. "We need to understand that along with the community support. Without those, there is no agreement."

ORIGINAL STORYFeb, 7, 2018:   

The Hamilton County commissioners want Major League Soccer to make a decision by the end of this month whether FC Cincinnati will join the league. 

The board of commissioners renewed the agreement to build a 1,000-space parking garage for a soccer stadium wherever in the county FC Cincinnati would build it. 

The original agreement expired Dec. 31. At the request of FC Cincinnati, the new agreement has an expiration date of Feb. 28. 

This is to put pressure on MLS to make an announcement by the end of the month, Commission President Todd Portune said. 

"We all agree this process has gone on for awhile," Portune said. "We expected a decision would be made sometime in early or mid-December. That did not happen."

Portune said FC Cincinnati in the past week approached him to renew the resolution with the date. 

The commission passed the resolution unanimously, giving MLS until Feb. 28 before the parking garage agreement expires. If no announcement is made, the commission will discuss another renewal, Portune said. 

"It is very important to this county a decision is made sooner than later," Portune said. "Business continues to move forward in this county."