MLS Expansion - Governor's $50m letter might not be enough to land a team for Philadelphia

A year ago, former Philadelphia Mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell sent the leader of the Philadelphia MLS group a letter pledging $50 million in state money to help build a stadium, but with no official action yet to happen on any of the points, MLS is not overly impressed.

In the letter, Rendell said the state will give:
"$20 million in savings achieved through low-interest, long-term loans from the Pennsylvania Economic Development Funding Authority.

$15 million from the state capital budget, contingent upon approval by the legislature.

$10 million in a grant from the Delaware River Port Authority."

The other $5m will go to small loans and other grants.

I'm sure it is good to have the support of the governor, however without anything official, this letter is just ink on paper. MLS said previously that they would make a decision on the 16th expansion team by the end of January. If they hold true to this deadline, which is not something MLS is really known for, then the state is pretty much in do or die time. If nothing happens in the next few days, it would appear that the Philadelphia bid is DOA for now.

Which turns the spot light back to St. Louis with a spill over to Montreal and Miami.