Minnesota United plans soccer announcement at St. Paul's Union Depot

Union Depot in downtown St. Paul will be the venue for Minnesota United FC's Aug. 19 announcement of its expected move to Major League Soccer in 2017.

Fans leaving the Minnesota United FC's home match last Saturday night in Blaine received save-the-date cards. One side of the card included an MLS shield, the date "08.19.16," the letters "STP" and the words "Be there." The other side featured the hashtag "#NextStopMLS."

The club confirmed via its website on Tuesday that the event will be held from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the historic St. Paul landmark.

Team owner Bill McGuire, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and MLS Commissioner Don Garber will be in attendance.

Garber said during the recent MLS All-Star Game that the league will add Atlanta United FC as a franchise in 2017. He said "another expansion announcement" for next season will be made "in a couple of weeks."

Minnesota landed a franchise in 2015, with Garber saying the timing of the move hinged on the team's getting a stadium. A $150 million, approximately 20,000-seat stadium for the club would be at the heart of redevelopment planned at Snelling and University avenues in the Midway neighborhood.

That project includes tax breaks that passed through the State Legislature in the spring with little opposition but got hung up in a post-session veto by Gov. Mark Dayton. His action stemmed from a $100 million error unrelated to the soccer facility. The situation will be the subject of a special legislative session likely to happen in late August.

When Garber awarded Minnesota a franchise at a soccer rally held in March 2015, it was held at Target Field, amid talk that the team would play in Minneapolis. But it could not secure the Farmers Market location in Minneapolis.

The proposed stadium in St. Paul received a better reception. Last spring state legislators agreed to a property tax exemption for the land where the team wants to build the stadium and approved a liquor license for it. The team is eligible for a sales tax exemption on construction materials.

Also coming this month, the St. Paul City Council will vote on the stadium site plan and a master plan for the superblock. Last week, the council held a final public hearing on plans involving the stadium.

Until its stadium is ready, Minnesota United has been making plans to play at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota. As a member of the North American Soccer League, the Loons have played most of their home games at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574