The spectacle of 80,000 people gathered in Baltimore to watch a professional soccer game - as happened at M&T Bank Stadium last July with the match between Chelsea and AC Milan - was the latest sign that soccer may be turning a corner in this country.
It especially suggests this city might be a prime location for the sport. In that light, Mayor Sheila Dixon's recent request that the Maryland Stadium Authority investigate the feasibility of building a stadium in Westport to bring the DC United pro soccer team to South Baltimore is entirely appropriate.
It would be difficult to see this as poaching a franchise, a topic on which Baltimore sports fans are all too versed. DC United has not found takers for a publicly supported stadium in Washington or, more recently, Prince George's County. Now, majority owner Will Chang is looking at alternatives.
Baltimore's situation might prove attractive. Certainly, the city has benefited from the state-supported stadiums for the Orioles and Ravens. Westport is served by Interstate 95, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and the light rail line, a plus for a stadium that might seat 27,000.
But the central question remains: Would tax revenues generated by soccer games repay government-backed bonds likely needed to finance the facility? A 2008 report suggested it would produce at least $5 million per year, or enough to underwrite about $100 million in debt. DC United attracts an average 20,000 spectators to each of its 15 regular season home games.
Admittedly, Major League Soccer is far from the proven commodity of the National Football League or Major League Baseball, but it's not the defunct North American Soccer League either.
MLS has proved to be more than a showplace for superstar David Beckham. The league has existed for 16 years, and the construction of new, soccer-specific stadiums has been a hallmark for a number of its 15 franchise cities, including New York, where Red Bull Arena is set to open next year.
A new soccer stadium in Baltimore could also host lacrosse games, concerts and other events.
The authority will need to carefully study the economic impact of bringing soccer to Baltimore. The project is bound to be controversial, particularly in the midst of high unemployment and at a time when the city has so many other pressing financial needs. Ultimately, any pro soccer stadium must not only be able to pay for itself but also create enough jobs to be worthy of taking such a risk.
It's too early to tell whether it's a good idea. There's no proposal on the table. It's not even clear that the DC United is particularly interested in moving so far from its current home at Washington's RFK Stadium.
The mayor just wants to know the pros and cons of such a project. As thrilling as the prospect of bringing throngs of soccer fans (and their disposable income) to Baltimore may be, we're skeptical that the numbers behind a publicly financed project can be made to work. We'd also be delighted to be proved wrong.
