MARIETTA - Atlanta Falcon's owner and co-founder of Home Depot, Arthur Blank has applied for a a Major League Soccer team and reportedly is eyeing a site near the Kennesaw State University campus as a possible home should he land a team for Atlanta.


Blank's management and investment services company, AMB Group LLC, announced Tuesday that it has submitted a bid application with Major League Soccer to own and operate a men's soccer team in the metro Atlanta area.

Although the AMB Group said it couldn't disclose details of its submitted bid, the group has reportedly been exploring locations in Cobb for at least a year.

"Our discussions with the league and potential public partners have been very positive to this point, and filing this application represents an important next step as we continue to explore the possibility of bringing Major League Soccer to fans throughout metro Atlanta," AMB spokesman Brian Farley said in a statement on Tuesday.

Today is the MLS deadline for bids to host one of the two expansion teams that would enter the league in 2011.

Cobb Chairman Sam Olens said several jurisdictions have had "positive and professional" discussions with Blank's group.

"Soccer is very active in the county and this would be an even bigger win for the community," Olens said. "A synergy with KSU would be fantastic if that would be available."

Olens declined to discuss details on the possible KSU location, but said such an agreement could be a public-private partnership to build an estimated 20,000-seat facility.

Such a multi-purpose sports facility could also help bring a football team to KSU.

KSU President Dan Papp has previously voiced his support of starting a football program, but funding and land acquisition have been major obstacles for the university to start a program.

Olens said a university football program would be good for the county.

"The university has much support for a football program, and from what I'm hearing, the students are very supportive about a football program," Olens said. "And I would like to see it in Cobb because it would be fun for the community."

Olens said the Blank group also looked at the county owned golf courses, Fox Creek and Legacy Link, off Windy Hill Road early on, but said they didn't like how far the property was from the interstate.

Gwinnett is reportedly another potential site for Blank to bring a MLS team too. Gwinnett recently became the new home the Braves minor league triple-A team.

"As part of our conversations, we're also looking at how best to create a sports and entertainment center that can not only serve as a premier soccer destination, but also a community resource for soccer enthusiasts at various levels of play throughout the region," Farley said in the statement. "We think there's an opportunity to make a significant, long-term contribution to the community, which is a key consideration in all the Blank businesses."

Blank is the co-founder and former CEO of Vinings-based The Home Depot Inc.

AMB Group LLC currently owns the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the Arena Football League's Georgia Force.

Other cities said to be in the running to host the two new MSL teams include Vancouver and Ottawa, in Canada and St. Louis, Miami and Portland

This would be perfect. We could lease the soccer stadium for our home football games. Would be much cheaper than buying land and building our own.

'Disgruntled ETSU Supporter': "But why would Arthur Blank build a soccer stadium in Kennesaw? Doesn't he own the ATLANTA Falcons? Why would he build a stadium in the backwoods of the Georgia Mountains...I don't understand....."

This would be HUGE! We could def share the field.

It has always been rumored that was were AMB Group would place the team becaue the AMB Group already has ties with the Kennesaw State through partnerships with the Falcons. In addition part of the deal is that Cobb would help pay for the stadium

Just saw this comment from Wesley Wicker and Sam Olens

This would be a great development not only for our students, but for Cobb County and indeed our state of Georgia,” said Wesley Wicker, executive director of the Kennesaw State University Foundation. “It’s a wonderful possibility, but at this point that’s just what it is — a possibility.”

Huge hurdles remain before the team arrives. In addition to selecting a site — Gwinnett County and other metro counties could also be in play — raising the estimated $80 million needed to build a 20,000-seat stadium and a soccer complex could prove difficult.

Convincing taxpayers, elected officials and college students to cough up millions of dollars to help a private business build a profit-making sports venture could prove a tough sell, especially in a lousy economy.

Officials with AMB Group, Blank’s investment and management arm, declined to comment in detail Wednesday. MLS officials didn’t take questions. KSU and Cobb officials remained tight-lipped about financing details, citing “trade secrets” involved in the negotiations between their public entities and Blank’s private group.

Yet all let it be known that any soccer complex would be paid for with a mix of public and private money.

Blank, who also owns the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League, would reportedly have to put up $40 million for a franchise. Cobb and KSU officials confirmed Wednesday they’ve held discussions with AMB, which aims “to create a sports-and-entertainment center [and] a community resource for soccer enthusiasts at various levels of play throughout the region,” according to a news release.

Blank faces deep-pocketed, well-organized opposition. In Miami, for example, a Bolivian billionaire is teaming up with famed Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona to bring a team to South Florida. The franchise-seekers have signed a five-year deal to play at Florida International University’s football stadium.

MLS president Mark Abbott, in a Webcast, praised Atlanta’s bid late Wednesday afternoon, citing “a very big soccer market” and an influx of soccer-loving people into the Metro area.

“Those two factors make soccer a very viable proposition in Atlanta,” he said. Abbott made equally laudable statements about the other contenders.

Blank and other franchise-seekers provided MLS with detailed ownership information, stadium financing scenarios and an analysis of the potential expansion market.

His group has scoured a half-dozen counties across the metro region for an MLS home, but appears to be leaning toward the city’s burgeoning northern tier. Gwinnett County Administrator Jock Connell met several months ago with representatives of a soccer-pushing group, believed to be Blank’s.

“Certainly we’ve listened to those people, and we’ve had discussions with those people,” he said. “But we’re far, far away from making any type of decision.”

Cobb County and Kennesaw State have held extensive discussions with Blank’s people. Within 30 days, the university will close on a 50-acre tract of land east of Interstate 75 to be used for athletics, according to Wicker.

School president Daniel Papp has said a soccer/football stadium could rise on the site, as well as practice fields, athletic facilities, parking lots and other amenities. Other sites near KSU also could be tapped for a stadium amenable to Blank and MLS.

“While no agreement has been reached, we remain strongly interested and actively engaged in pursuing this public-private partnership that will benefit both the university and the community as a whole,” Papp said Wednesday in a statement.

The school, Cobb County, the AMB group and other private entities likely would share the estimated $80 million needed to build a stadium and other sports-related amenities. Wicker said student fees might be tapped. He ruled out state money.

Sam Olens, who chairs the Cobb County Commission, said the county could tap its general fund, hotel/motel taxes or rental-car taxes to help pay its share.

Olens envisions not only a professional soccer stadium, but a soccer, football and sports complex available for youth, high school and adult teams from across the region. The Atlanta Silverbacks, a lower-ranked professional soccer team that plays in DeKalb County, earns much of its revenue from adult and youth leagues.

Gwinnett County, and its contentious pursuit of an Atlanta Braves minor-league team, offers a cautionary tale for team-seeking officials. In January, Gwinnett announced a privately negotiated deal to bring a AAA affiliate to a new stadium the county is building near Lawrenceville.

The stadium — initially tabbed at $45 million, including the cost of the land — is now expected to cost $64 million.

“Keep in mind no decision has been made,” Cobb’s Olens said. “But you’re looking long-term and what potential economic-development benefits occur as a result of a project being built in our jurisdiction. I’m very mindful of the down economy.”

Very interesting news as far as KSU is concerned. I think the big thing is that the MLS has seven or so cities competing (hard) for a professional team. I really like the idea of a pro sports team in Cobb and one that would be so much help, potentially, to KSU.

I also played youth, select, high school soccer all my life so I have an interest. I think it'd be great to get a team. Guess it would seal the fate of a mens team for KSU too.