Pool goes the distance

Council Member Leslie Pool, whose district includes the McKalla Place site proposed for a professional soccer stadium, created a more than minor fuss in local social media circles with the revelation Tuesday that she’d traveled to Columbus, Ohio. The trip was made to gather information on Precourt Sports Ventures and its stewardship of the Columbus Crew SC team that would be relocated to Austin if the stadium deal is approved. Pool met with longtime fans of the team, visited Mapfre Stadium where it plays and saw some of the area that could be used to build a new stadium if the team remains there. The visit drew a strong response from those for and against the team’s possible relocation to Austin. Pool responded with a brief “Was great!” response to a text inquiry about the visit. Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo said she hopes Pool learned about the ownership group’s track record and how it might perform in Austin. “She always does her fair share of research, and I’m sure that’s what she felt she had to do to do the research she needs to arrive at a decision on this issue,” Tovo said. “It would seem to be that seeing the stadium and its operations firsthand would offer some value to this conversation.”