DeKalb County, Atlanta United FC’s Soccer Complex Deal Dead
The DeKalb County Commission voted in August to approve the agreement with Atlanta United FC – one that would have involved a $12 million investment by the county.
ATLANTA UNITED FC
A planned $30 million soccer training complex in DeKalb County for Atlanta’s new professional team will not happen.
That is according to the DeKalb County government, which issued a news release late Friday saying the deal had broken down in the due diligence process.
The statement quoted DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May: “…After reviewing the reports with Atlanta United FC, we decided together that the numbers going into it have changed so much that proceeding would not be a responsible decision for either party, and certainly not the DeKalb taxpayers.”
The DeKalb County Commission had authorized the deal in August by a 4-3 vote. The complex, which would have included the team’s corporate headquarters, was to be built near Memorial Drive and Interstate-285 just behind the county jail.
DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester voted against the plan.
She feels the tens of millions of dollars could be spent better elsewhere.
“Why can’t we be more aggressive in our road paving, in our infrastructure spending? Why can’t we give police and fire-fighters a raise that has been withheld for years? The real basics that people expect in government services … we need to get that right,” said Jester.
Atlanta United is now reportedly looking at a 32-acre plot of land in Marietta.
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