The News Tribune from Tacoma, Washington • C8

C8 THURSDAY MAY 31, 2007 THE NEWS TRIBUNE MLS EXPANSION WOULD HAVE IMPACT MLS could move or fold MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER PRIMER The Puget Sound area will get a taste of Major League Soccer at 7 pm Saturday when Chivas USA plays a friendly match at Qwest Held against the Seattle Sounders of the United Soccer Leagues' First Division. MLS is composed of 13 teams. The Eastern Conference is made up of the Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, New England Revolution, Red Bull New York and Toronto FC. Western Conference members are Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.

Each team plays a 30-game regular season running from early April to late October. Eight teams make the playoffs that culminate with the MLS Cup championship game, which this season will be played Nov. 18 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Among the best-known MLS players are Land on Donovan (GalaxyUSA), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (FireMexico), Carlos Ruiz (FC DallasGuatemala), Brian Ching pynamoUSA), Christian Gomez (WizardsArgentina) Eddie Johnson (WizardsUSA) and Taylor Twellman (RevolutionUSA). David Beckham (GalaxyEngland) is scheduled to make his MLS debut in July.

Average attendance last season was 15,504 during the regular season and 21,330 in the playoffs. More than 30 million fans have attended regular season games in the history of the league, which is now in its 12th season. Don Ruiz, The Niwi Tribute The Associated Press fie Tha Seattle: Sounders mad ttw mova to their currant horn Qwest Raid in 2003 when thy pury on a year-to-year lease. CONTINUED FROM CI and a USL First Division soccer team. Courtemanche said PGE fits the MLS definition of a soccer-specific stadium, but it would require modifications, including a new playing surface.

Meanwhile, Qwest Field and its Fieldlurf surface would be instantly MLS ready. However, the stadium could serve only as an interim home while the Kestons secure the kind of soccer complex now utilized by more than half of the league's teams. The developing MLS model in places such as Frisco, Texas, (home of FC Dallas) and Commerce City, (Colorado Rapids) combines the main stadium with as many as two dozen soccer fields that make the complex a focal point for youth and adult leagues and tournaments. "From both a financial and a fan-experience perspective, they've had a lot of success by building soccer-specific stadiums arid allowing the soccer community to meet around one place," Keston said. "I think ultimately we would love to do something like that if the opportunity presented itself." Land development is a natural interest for the Kestons, whose family fortune comes from real estate.

Michael Keston is owner and CEO of the Larwin in Encino, Calif. James Keston said he has used previous Fuget Sound visits to begin negotiations for the use of Qwest Field and tour possible stadium sites in Renton and Tukwila. "Renton is a very interesting site because of the demographics and the growth that I have seen around that area and the land that is available," he said. "And based on what has happened with the Sonics, they've already gone through the first stages of this: the making sure that the community and the city at least Sounders A possible move to Tacoma iijuit one of the options facing the Sounders should the MLS expand to Seattle BY DON RUIZ The News Tribune A Major League Soccer team in Seattle could have a variety of impacts on the Seattle Sounders, including their possible move to Tacoma. Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer said he hasn't decided what he would do with his United Soccer Leagues' First Division franchise if Seattle wins out over Portland as an MLS expansion site.

However, the status quo seems untenable. "I'm a pretty rational business-person, and it's unlikely that two professional teams in the Fuget Sound region are going to work," he said. "IH cross the bridge when I come to it, but I wouldn't think it's likely that two franchises would coexist" Hanauer said he hopes that potential owners Michael and James Keston bring MLS to Seattle, even if it means the end of the Sounders, who date back to 1974 through several leagues and venues. If offered the opportunity, Hanauer said he might be interested in involvement with the MLS team. And the Kestons -who are based in Southern California also see advantages to involving Hanauer and his wealth of Fuget Sound area soccer connections.

"We get along great and if we could find a way to integrate him and the existing Sounders organization into what we're doing we would love to make that happen," James Keston said. "So far, we have a very good relationship with SUNDAY MONDAY Partly sunny HIGH: 74 LOW: 54 Breezy with intervals HIGH: 69 LOW: million-dollar houses on Mercer Island as soon as they sign their contracts," Keston said. "It gives you the opportunity, when you go out and talk to sports fans and the people of the state, to say these are not necessarily a bunch of multimillionaires coming in here." Alex Pietsch, Renton's economic development administrator, said he had one meeting with Keston but that few specifics were discussed. Derek Speck, Tukwila's economic development director, said he hadn't had any contact regarding a soccer stadium in his city. However, both administrators expressed interest in learning more, and Keston said he plans another visit to the area soon.

Quest Field will continue to pursue high-profile soccer matches, a spokesperson said. Don tab: 253-597480 doiuiiizfthcMwitf buiMxoin through four home games. The Sounders play at Qwest on a year-to-year lease, which gives them no protection from an MLS team moving in. Neither would the Sounders be protected by territorial rights, because MLS is not affiliated with the USL. Territorial rights could be a factor if the Sounders move to Tacoma, whose Tides are part of the USL Premier Development League.

However, Hanauer waived his own territorial rights to allow Tides owner Mike Jennings to place a team in Tacoma last season. The teams have developed a relationship, with two friendly matches scheduled this season. And both owners seemed confident that something could be worked out if Hanauer decided to move the Sounders south. doiuiiU9tlMiiwib IIium junii Such an arrangement might sink the Sounders, or they could shift to another home, perhaps Tacoma. "I think it's conceivable," Hanauer said.

"I'd probably want to do some real market analysis. Soccer is a tough business in this country, and if I was going to move a franchise I'd definitely want to move it to where I thought I had a better chance at an economically viable business. I wouldn't move it just for the sake of moving it" When the current version of the Sounders was reborn in 1994, the team played seven home games in the Tacoma Dome with an average attendance of around 5,000. After that season, the Sounders shifted their games to Memorial Stadium in Seattle and Renton Stadium, before moving to Qwest Field in 2003. This season, the team has averaged 3,756 fans have an interest in a potential stadium there." What "happened with the Sonics" was the failure of the NBA team to earn a public subsidy for a new arena.

Keston would not comment specifically on what kind of public commitment he would seek for a soccer stadium. However, he noted that the cost of new MLS stadiums has been in the $50 million to $100 million range roughly one-fifth the cost of a proposed NBA arena. Keston also implied that taxpayers are less likely to be put off by MLS salaries, which are modest not only by NBA standards but also by the standards of many fans' income. According to the players' association, four of the league's 359 players make more than $1 million, while 90 make $17,700 or less. "These guys get to play soccer every day, but they're certainly not going out and buying multi TODAY FRIDAY Mostly sunny Mostly For up-to-the-minute weather go to thenewstribine.com 3 sunny 49 sunny HIGH: 78 LOW: 51 HIGH 79 LOW: 51 TODAY'S SOUTH SOUND FORECAST 1 A l.MMt i lA Tina -e, Cold wm mm 40j-Oi Of Dl20il40i50l60l7DiaDl90l lOOl IIOj Showitn eM noon poiUon faf WMtftw AROUND THE NATION SATURDAY Mostly sunny and warm HIGH: 76 LOW: 57 LOCAL TEMPERATURES LlT KW.74W1 -JV lemperatuies hiotissnd taiitirs pf-fi TCDJV ML TDDJB7 ML Alouquerque Sleopc Little Rock 8V5SA 8BS6A Albany, NY 82ELt 8763A LosAngetts TS9Upc TS9Upc Anchorage 6246A Louisvie 88oMic 81Glpc Atlanta grmpc 8153Aic Lubbock asSSA 886Vt AttanUcCHy 82GQA 8SB44ic Memphis 83GSIt 8SGBA Austin 91GBA 9QGB4IC Miami MHfc 8476A BaWmore 9Q64A 91G6A Mhwukae 74SBA 76SBA BHngs G647A 7834ic Minneapolis 76SQA Bkmingham 84B44c 84B3Aic Missoula 8143s 8446A Bismarck 5748A 71S24K Nashvle 85Sipc gr6Vpc Boston 7862A NewOrieans 827QA 82E7A Buffalo 82E24IC 7962: New York 8762A tBWt 8563A 8566 Norfolk.

VA 85BSA 87ESs 9Q62A aVGUpc OdahomaCHy 81GBA 8666t Cheyenne 6644A T3Wpc Omaha 766U13C 78SBA Chicago 82SBA 8QS2A Orlando 90BMjc WIVpc andmati 8B5Mx 8S624ic Palm Springs 10070s 10271A Cleveland WSUpc 83644K Philadelphia aaGBA aaBVpc Colorado Springs 7346A 7349)c Phoenix 102ftfc 10478ys Columbus, OH 8BG54x: 86GS4x: PHisburgh 8V6lpc SSWpc Dalas 8772A SBntyc 6VSLt 73S7A Denver 7347A TISlpc Raleigh S2S2A 91E2A Des Moines 7962A 75S91A Rapid City, SO 6V45t 7248yfc Detroit 8764A 8255A Dm S25BA 94SSIA Dukrth 6S48A 70S1A Richmond 91G35 goB4A Paso 96G8A 9BG8A Sacramento 9SSIA WSls Fairbanks 674Mic oSSUIx St Louis 80GBt 8767A Fargo G6S1A 74S2A Salt Lake City 8Q56A 83SBA Flagstaff 8033 8140 San Antonio 9171Ac 917QA)c Fresno 3263 3663 San Diego 6SB23C 6SB23C Great Fats 75464c 8248 San Francisco E5S24c 6553Aic Hartford 79SQA 8762A San Jose 75564)c 74S64c Helena 7746A)c 85AMx Santa Fe 8V484c 84SQA Honolulu 8774A 8773 Shreveport 8568t 8667A Houston 8871A 8971A Sioux 72S4A 7SS4A Indianapolis 86644c 84G54K lampa 9Q703C 8871A Jackson, MS 8164A 8363A Tucson 9867A 10169s Jacksonville 86G54x: 8567A lUsa 8263A 8466A Juneau 5844A 6345 Washington, DC 3068 3068 Kansas Qty 8263A 8Q61A Wichita 8Q63A 8263A Las Vegas 9B7L 10279s Yuma 10173 10374 AMY WAPP1A WESTERN WASHINGTON TO MT FRL Belevue SO 7754: Bel inc. ham 725Q TVSlpc Centralia 78484 8047pc Kelso 7754 7854pc Vancouver 8254 8054 Whidbey Island 6744 6649pc PACIFIC COAST Forks 7148pc 7046tx: Long Beach S3S2pc SUSlpc Port Angeles 6847 6547tx: Westport 5851ftc 6050)c CENTRAL WASHINGTON FJtensburg 9055 9155 Omak 9352 905S4 Wenatchee 9163 9064 Yakima 9255 9155 EASTERN WASHINGTON 1 CoMIe Pulman Spokane TH-Cities Walla Walla 8851 9247 8147 8351 9354 9655 8961 9261 OUTSIDE WASHINGTON Astoria 6653pc 6451ftc Bend 8745 8748 Boise 8659 9362 CoeurdNene 8344 8748 Eugene 8047 7749 Medford 8953 9057 Portland 8457 8156s Seaside S2JS2pc S2JS2pc Vancouver, BC 7155 Victoria 7451 7351ftc MOUNTAIN PASSES Departnient of Transportation pass information: 80O-ffl5-7623 or www.wsdotwl(OY Sunshine CayMa (Weak. 123) Closed; road damage ChtmfcOMtaiLUfl) Sunshine Mostly sunny Mostly sunny N. Cascades (Hftuk. 2S) Sunshine Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Sunshine Sunshine 1 0-5) Mostly sunny 12500 ft SUN MOON NIL May 31 NEW June 14 SUNRISE 5:19 a.m.

SUNSET 8:57 p.m. LAST June 8 Qs FIRST June 22 9:28 p.m. UOONSET 431 a.m. A. V- TIDES First Second First Second First Second First Second Puget Hood Strait deFuca NeahBay La Westport QlMonni Snow Needles, CA.

20s. West Yellowstone. MT ak-showers, MhunderstDrms, r-rain, provided by i 2007 T-ip -w -v ESRI GDI 103. (FOR THE 41 CONTKUOUS STATES) AROUND THE WORLD MCCHORD AIR FORCE RASE MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE HHH LOW DMT MONTH YEU Yesterday to 4 pm 86 47 This yearto date OJO0" 2T 17.73" Last year 73 41 Last yearto date OJO0T 2.12" 21.73" Normal for day 70 46 Normal to date 1.93" 18.78" Record (20071979) 86 40 Record high 09841996) 42" 60.77" Top wind speed (mph) 8 Record low (19921952) 0.05" 16.96" SEA-TAC AIRPORT SEA-TAC AIRPORT Yesterday to 4 pm 87 55 This year to date O00" 146" 16.17" Last year 73 46 Last year to date 0.00" 156" 207" Normalforday 67 49 Normal to date 1.73" 1738" Record (20071951) 87 36 Top wind speed (mph) 8 24 hours to 5 p.m. yesterday HMH HTXFiET) LOW HTtftFT) TACOMA NARROWS TODAY 428 a.m.

11.2 11:38 a.m. -1 734 p.m. 12.5 TACOMA NARROWS FRIDAY 458 a.m. 11.0 12:36 a.m. 82 8S7p.m.

12:12 p.m. WESTPORT TODAY 1231 a.m. 9.2 720 ajn. 2:13 p.m. 7.1 7)0 p.m.

35 WESTPORT FRIDAY 1105 a.m. 93 7S6ajn. -13 253 p.m. 7.1 738 p.m. 3 MARINE FORECAST WMDSKED SURF SWELL T0DJW ML TODJV ML Amsterdam 6754- 6354 Uma 65574c 6656: Athens 7764 8164 London 6454A 6654ic Auckland 665 6457A Madrid 7254ic 81604 Baghdad 10581A 10881A Mania 9078: 9779A Bangkok 9179A 9179A Mettoume 5644 5642: Bejjing 8167A 85G9rpc Mexico Qty 7750ic 79504 Berlin 7254ic 7748rpc Montreal 6660A 7863A Bogota 6648 6548 MOSCOW 9064lC 7952A Buenos Aires 5543ic 5945A Oslo 66S2Ah 5946 Cabo San Lucas 95724 96684 Ottawa 7661A 8162A Cairo 93674 91684 Paris 6B52A 6454: Calgary 74454 7948ic fSode Janeiro 7Q64ic 776Srpc Cancun 8473A 8474A Rome 7359ic 7763A Caracas 826BA 8172ic San Jose 7966A 7569 Copenhagen 68A2Ax: eiSfc Santiago 5234 5530 Dakar 80664 7855x: Sao Paulo 6154ic 6B55rpc Dublin 6146A 6148IC Seoul 755BIC 7458rpc Frankfurt 6748: 6341: Stockholm 6754 6055 Geneva 7248 6653ic Sydney 6249ic 6247pc Helsinki 7046 5543ic Tokyo 70614h 6961: HongKong 9280rpc 8980A Toronto 8061A 7961A Jerusalem 76534 74534 Vienna 7654ic 7354A Johannesburg 66444 644 Vladivostok 6743pc 5648ic Kabul 82584 92584 Warsaw 6955 7555A Kuwait 110894 106894 Whrtehorse 5838: 6542: PRECIPITATION RATINGSj ALLERGY INDEX yes? very High High Moderate F1 F- 1 Good 1 I I I I Absent Grass Weeds Trees Source: Allen more Medical Center AIR QUALITY INDEX YESTIRDWS very Unhealthy Unhealthy Moderate Good Tacoma Seattle Bellevue Source: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency wings Molds -sunny, e-partty cloudy, e-doudy, af-snow flurries, aa-snow, Hce.

Forecasts, except KIRO 5-day, DIRECTION DIRECTION Sound 7-14knotsVAR 1-2HW Canal 7-14knotsVAR 1-2HW of Juan 12-25 knotVW 2-4ftW 10-20 knotsNW l-3ftW Push 10-20 knotsNW l-3ftW 10-20 knotsNW l-3ftW FIRE SAFETY BURN BANS (wwwZwadnr.govbum-r1sk) mm affect AIR QUALITY BURN BANS (www.pscleanair.orgbuming mm afhet whatisabumbaashtml; www.orcaaxrgbumbanouLhtml) a.