The city of Austin and Precourt Sports Ventures finalized a legal agreement Dec. 19 to build a Major League Soccer stadium on city-owned property. However, a few more dominos had to fall to to bring MLS team Austin FC to the city.

On Dec. 28, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced that he, along with the state of Ohio and state Attorney General Mike DeWine, dismissed a lawsuit against PSV that was filed with the intention of keeping the Columbus Crew SC in the city.



Meanwhile, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league has agreed to sell the Crew to a group led by Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, beginning in January.

“We are pleased with the lawsuit dismissal and the outcome that will ensure Major League Soccer teams in both Austin and Columbus," said Anthony Precourt, CEO of PSV, in a statement.

PSV had initially planned to move the Crew to Austin to become Austin FC in the 2019 season ahead of the stadium’s expected completion 2021. However, the sale of the team to the group led by Haslam and Pete Edwards will keep the Crew, a charter member of the league when it began in 1994, at home while Austin FC will join the league for the 2020 or 2021 season.

“While we work to finalize the deal promptly, we want to state publicly the tremendous collaboration and community support for Crew SC, which has set the stage for a powerful plan that includes a world-class soccer stadium—a critical step that will help ensure the club’s success on and off the field,” Garber said in a statement.

For more on the details of the stadium agreement in Austin, see our previous coverage of the MLS deal.