Back in November, it was revealed that Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein funded a petition campaign using misinformation to gather signatures to fight MLS coming to Austin.
Paid canvassers caught giving bogus info about soccer petition: https://t.co/Y9u1VOJLSE pic.twitter.com/Ddj6NkaAuN
— Austin Statesman (@statesman) November 8, 2018
This was in addition to anti-semitic and transphobic scandals surrounding the paid canvassers working on Epstein’s behalf.
Today Austin’s city clerk validated the petition.
However, Precourt Sports Ventures has issued the following statement:
“Neither the petition nor a possible election impact Major League Soccer coming to Austin in March 2021. Austin FC is already a part of this community. The City Council approved lease for McKalla Place is signed, and the site plan has been filed. These decisions were made after a thorough community engagement process that included more than 10 community engagement sessions and eight city council meetings.
As a result of the site plan being filed, this petition initiative cannot retroactively overturn the binding result of the council vote that approved the 100% privately financed construction of the stadium and soccer park at McKalla Place.”
On August 15, 2018, the Austin City Council voted 7-4 in favor of MLS coming to Austin.