KC Wizards all but have their stadium

Today is a good day for fans of the Kansas City Wizards as they have all put wrapped up a stadium deal. Last night the Kansas City, Missouri City Council unanimously approved the city's portion of a $949 million redevelopment project at the site of a former mall (roughly $273 million). Included in this project is an 18,500-seat soccer stadium as well as 12 tournament-quality soccer fields.

The final approval to make everything official is expected in February when state officials will decide issues related to state-level tax incentives. With most of the state leadership signaling their support for the plan, it is expected to pass.

Kansas City hopes to open their 2010 season in the new stadium, which is about 8 miles from downtown (click on above image to see the proposed development). After all the struggles the team has been through, it is really amazing how this has all come together.

On a side note, it is interesting that this happened on the same day that Wizards' season-ticket holders got to pick their seats at their temporary home in a baseball stadium. Also, who would have ever thought the Wizards would get a stadium deal before DC United?