The city of Austin could comb its real estate portfolio for public land that could host a future Major League Soccer stadium, according to a City Council directive that will be considered in two weeks. The news follows reports that Anthony Precourt, owner of the Columbus Crew—one of the initial teams in the MLS, the country’s top professional soccer league—may move the team to Austin. Precourt even made an appearance at the City Council’s Oct. 19 meeting, at which Mayor Steve Adler publicly greeted him by saying, “Welcome home.” Council is scheduled to take up the resolution during their Nov. 9 meeting. The resolution, penned by Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, directs the City Manager to begin an official process to search where the city could host an MLS stadium, with a specific focus in and around the urban core. Tovo posted the resolution to the City Council message board on Wednesday, Oct. 25. “The City Manager is directed to identify city-owned sites in the urban core, including underutilized parkland, that might be appropriate for a soccer stadium,” the resolution reads. “As well as sites outside the urban core where practice fields and ancillary uses could serve the Columbus Crew and the surrounding community.” The resolution directs the analysis to include traffic and other impacts the project may have on nearby neighborhoods and city services. The resolution says the city manager should also identify community benefits that could result from having a Major League Soccer team and direct and indirect economic impacts. City leaders, including Adler, have publicly said they would not support tax dollars funding a new sports stadium. Precourt confirmed that his company, Precourt Sports Ventures, would pay for the project. However, he placed a priority on finding a location in or around Austin’s downtown center. If the council passes the resolution, the city manager is scheduled to return to City Council with a recommendation by Dec. 7.