SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a Sports Facility Use Agreement with the Pennsylvania Professional Soccer LLC to provide preseason training in Clearwater at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex, from February 1, 2018 through April 1, 2020, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
Body
SUMMARY:
The Pennsylvania Professional Soccer LLC dba "Philadelphia Union" (Team) is one of only 22 franchises that make up Major League Soccer (MLS). They have held successful preseason workouts in Clearwater at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex for the past three seasons.
MLS is continuing to grow in popularity and in 2017 attendance was at an all time high in excess of 8.2 million. Soccer fan base continues to grow at a pace higher than all other major sports.
Over the past three years the Team has established themselves in the community and brought several of their fans to Clearwater for preseason training.
Having both the Philadelphia Phillies Baseball Club and Team in Clearwater at the same time for spring training adds to the synergy between the two Philadelphia sports franchises since the Team also has a preseason following of fans as well.
The City will provide two regulation sized soccer fields maintained at MLS professional standards, as well as goals, lining of fields, and ancillary facilities including office, meeting room and restrooms.
The Team will continue to promote the City of Clearwater and their preseason training site through numerous print and media outlets in and around the Delaware Valley area. In the past the Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has donated up to $100,000 in promotion for the Team.
This agreement is for two years with an option to renew for two additional three-year periods.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A