Precourt legal battles continue in Ohio

Precourt Sports Ventures, owner of the Columbus Crew soccer club that is seeking to relocate to Austin from Ohio, is mounting a legal battle to throw out a lawsuit intended to prevent the team from moving. The company and Major League Soccer have teamed up to file a motion to throw out a lawsuit based on Ohio’s so-called “Art Modell Law” that was created in 1996 to prevent teams from abruptly moving if they’ve utilized tax-supported facilities. The motion claims the law, which requires six months’ notice of intention to move unless approved by state and local governments and requires interested buyers be given a chance to preserve the team, is unconstitutional. The lawsuit filed by the city of Columbus and state of Ohio in March seeks a permanent injunction that would prevent the team from moving while the lawsuit plays out. PSV had hoped the team would play its 2019 season in a temporary facility in Austin, and it is awaiting a city study on possibly using the city-owned McKalla Place parcel in North Central Austin as the site for a permanent 20,000-seat stadium.