New Gahania Luxury Stadia: Moore tells it straight, so can this soccer story possibly get any more entertaining?

Yes, stadia is the plural noun.

In which Jeffersonville's Mike Moore says the right thing and cuts directly to the chase, while Jeff Gahan is ... yep, you guessed it, 'cuz he's unavailable for comment.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Time to move on, folks.

LouCity: We're committed to Louisville stadium, by Phillip M. Bailey, Madeleine Winer and Justin Sayers (Courier-Journal; 1:09 p.m. EST January 4, 2017)

Neace said "New Albany is not a frontrunner. We're down to two sites. Both those preferred sites are in Louisville." He said the team listened to New Albany's pitch but that plan is not the team's preference.

New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mike Hall, a spokesman for Gahan, said the mayor met with Neace at the end of December and presented three possible locations for a stadium in New Albany. He said talks were still in the preliminary stages and did not know which locations were discussed.

Moore said the team is using talks with Southern Indiana cities as a negotiation tactic to gain leverage over Louisville and that he texted Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer on Aug. 30 about Neace's offer.

“I think it’s a ploy to get Louisville to ante up,” Moore said. “Jeffersonville is not interested in stealing Louisville’s soccer team.”

Previously at NAC:

New Gahania Luxury Stadia: Moore tells it straight, so can this soccer story possibly get any more entertaining?

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY: Louisville City FC's John Neace clarifies, "Construction of a venue in Louisville is our priority."

Green Mouse says: Think NORTH for Gahan's proposed soccer stadium site.

The ultimate in bright shiny objects? Now Jeff Gahan's going to build a pro soccer stadium in New Albany.

And it's only January 4.

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY: Louisville City FC's John Neace clarifies, "Construction of a venue in Louisville is our priority."

Let's go back to yesterday's Insider Louisville piece by Boris Ladwig, because it clears the way for Team Gahan's own clarification-to-come:

Neace said that he expects the stadium and the club’s planned soccer academy to be built in two locations, because of space constraints. That means, for example, the academy could be in downtown Louisville, with a stadium in New Albany, or vice versa. Or either venue could be at the east or west ends of Louisville.

Simple mistake; we meant academy, not stadium. Lower ranking city officials might wish to let their cell phones die tonight.

Meanwhile, here's the next economic "development" chess move. I've heard about the fog of war, but this one's convoluted, isn't it?

A STATEMENT FROM LOUCITY CHAIRMAN JOHN NEACE, by Louisville City FC, 01/04/17, 10:15AM EST

“Louisville City FC’s board continues moving forward with development of a soccer-specific stadium in Louisville. While other markets around the region have expressed interest, construction of a venue in Louisville is our priority. We plan to be part of the city’s growth and feel that a stadium in its urban core is best for our fan base and the club’s continued success.”

Green Mouse says: Think NORTH for Gahan's proposed soccer stadium site.

The ultimate in bright shiny objects? Now Jeff Gahan's going to build a pro soccer stadium in New Albany.

Green Mouse says: Think NORTH for Gahan's proposed soccer stadium site.

To repeat: I'm not drinking absinthe for breakfast, and this isn't April Fool's Day in January. Jeff Gahan's going off the rails with a crazy stadium extravaganza, and we're trying to make sense of the megalomania.

A source has told the Green Mouse that the site proposed by Mayor Gahan to build a pro soccer stadium in New Albany (let it sink in) is in the vicinity of Indiana University Southeast. That's all Green was able to get. Note that land immediately north of campus is owned by Indiana University.

But the art of the deal, and all that -- and if there's enough TIF to pawn, almost anything's possible. Last night:

The ultimate in bright shiny objects? Now Jeff Gahan's going to build a pro soccer stadium in New Albany.

 ... As for stunned New Albanians, who'd imagined the mayor's ballyhooed surprise announcement was going to be citywide paving, a new Asian health spa or Bass Pro Shop gift card giveaways at this summer's Bicentennial Park Concert Series, well, they're left to ponder three questions:

Exactly where do we place a potential 20,000 seat stadium?
Exactly how much in "incentives" will it cost?
Exactly how many box seats will trickle down to BOW?

The Green Mouse's source also suggests that New Albany's bid is a bargaining ploy to move Greg Fischer's philanthropy in a more positive (cough) direction, and that a stadium site in Jeffersonville is a far more likely landing spot should the stadium be built in Southern Indiana.

Meanwhile, we're saddened to reveal that the most ideal stadium location of all has been removed from consideration.

It would fit right there in the middle.

Seems the level of toxicity is such that an EPA Superfund cleanup would be warranted, and Jimmy Hoffa might be there, somewhere -- and who wants to deal with it?

Not even Duggins, that's who.

The ultimate in bright shiny objects? Now Jeff Gahan's going to build a pro soccer stadium in New Albany.

“A soccer stadium would be very exciting, the mayor said ... Neace pegged the cost of the venue between $20 million and $30 million."

I swear to Jeeebus that I'm dead sober, and it isn't even April 1.

Soccer club considering New Albany for stadium, by Boris Ladwig (Insider Louisville)

Louisville City FC is considering building its planned stadium in New Albany, Ind., with government officials there actively courting club leaders for the $20 million to $30 million project.

Chairman John Neace said that the club had narrowed the potential locations for a stadium to two — down from four — and though he wouldn’t talk specifics, New Albany is in the running, IL has learned.

“We desperately need a stadium, or quite honestly, the team will probably have to go elsewhere,” Neace told IL in an interview in the club’s downtown offices.

Without revenue from sponsorships and concessions, the club is unlikely to be able to sustain itself and to keep growing, he said.

New Albany officials said they would welcome the investment of a new stadium and would consider some public support to lure the venue to Indiana ... 

My first thought: Damn, looks like the News and Tribune's been scooped again. Fine work, Boris Ladwig -- but be aware that the Marriott under construction is in Jeffersonville, not New Albany. Maybe we'll get a new San Antonio Inn.

At IL's Facebook page, the reaction from Louisville City FC fans is unrelentingly scathing so far. Ouch.

As for stunned New Albanians, who'd imagined the mayor's ballyhooed surprise announcement was going to be citywide paving, a new Asian health spa or Bass Pro Shop gift card giveaways at this summer's Bicentennial Park Concert Series, well, they're left to ponder three questions:

Exactly where do we place a potential 20,000 seat stadium?
Exactly how much in "incentives" will it cost?
Exactly how many box seats will trickle down to BOW?

It's impossible to judge until we know the answers, and until then, let's just allow the satire to write itself, as with the scene right now at 8:00 p.m., with Team Gahan functionaries armed with flash lights and tape measures, crawling around the perimeter of "the project" on Bono Road.

"In your mother tongue, what's the verb 'to suck'?"

Truth be told, I enjoy listening both to Wild Beasts and Arctic Monkeys, and the issue of accents (not to mention internecine quarrels) may or may not be significant. However, I'm struck by Hayden Thorpe's wisdom in the quote below. Influences are to be expected, but whether making music, brewing beer or revitalizing a neglected urban core, isn't it all about our own mystical landscape?

Wild Beasts take swipe at British bands who sing with US accents; Hayden Thorpe claims lyrics to new single refer to UK singers with Americanised voices – such as the Arctic Monkeys, Sean Michaels (Guardian)

 ... "People are absorbing the mysticism of American artists, and rightfully so," Thorpe went on. "But we're interested in the mysticism of our own landscape and trying to reflect that rather than creating one that doesn't belong to us. That's where the most interesting, intriguing music comes from. The Smiths were incredibly exotic because they mysticised the landscape they grew up in, and it's beautiful how there are people who take pilgrimages to the Salford Lads Club. Equally, I'm obsessed and drawn to Bruce Springsteen's New Jersey, but it has nothing to do with my life."