What's next for Major League Soccer in Charlotte?

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A day after the City of Charlotte decided to cancel their meeting and public forum to discuss plans to bring a Major League Soccer team to the Queen City, questions remain about what the future of the sport in the city looks like.

The County Manager confirmed Friday that the county will not be offering up any more money.

"No not at this time," said County Manager Dena Diorio when asked about offering more money into the current deal. "That [$43.75 million] is what I have approval to move forward with."

The county approved the MLS proposal in a 5-4 vote Thursday morning.

"The dynamics of the proposal have changed significantly and materially. I think the resolution that we passed yesterday is null and void," said Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour.

Several Commissioners believe that if the investment team finds a way to get the $43.75 that the city would have paid, then a new proposal should be presented to them.

However, Diorio said that is not the case and that the county is ready to move forward with the deal regardless of where the money would come from. Marcus Smith has not commented since the city pulled out. He has the ability to either put more money in the proposal or find other investors.

"I can tell you he is evaluating the situation and he will get back to me and let me know what options we have," said Diorio.

"If it turns out that more money is out there that could make up the cities difference, than I am going to have to question whether we could have pushed a little harder and gotten a better deal for the tax payers," said Ridenhour.

WBTV asked MLS if an extension in the January 31st deadline would be granted and the league responded by saying January 31 is a firm deadline.

Jim McPhilliamy, the Charlotte Independence Managing Partner, says the deal has the potential to put Charlotte's minor league team in jeopardy.

"I want to make one thing clear, we are not threatening to pull our team out of Charlotte," said McPhilliamy.

However, the Independence just became a division two league team.

"To be a D2 compliant stadium, it has to have 5,000 or more seats," said McPhilliamy. "In the meantime though, I need to figure out my stadium solution so that I can stay in Charlotte and play."

If Memorial is not an option, then where do they go?

McPhilliamy and a group of investors approached the county last year with plans to renovate Memorial on a lesser scale with the option of expanding it if MLS ever came to Charlotte. Those plans were put on hold when the Smith's approached with the current MLS deal.

"The question is whether the minor-league proposal that we want to consider in light that it does not lead to an MLS team," said Diorio.

Several leaders in the county believe this may be Charlotte's only chance to get an MLS team. McPhilliany does not share that opinion.

"If you look at the long-term business model for MLS, why you would cap at 28 teams," said McPhilliany.

McPhilliany says that if the deal with Marcus Smith does not work, he welcomes the chance to work with the county on the plan the team proposed last summer.

Marcus Smith was not made available to the media on Friday.