Tensions remain high over O’Fallon soccer merger as coaches, city officials speak out

How the soccer fields are rented in O’Fallon follow a matrix put into place years ago, prioritizing taxpayers and “heads in beds” income for the city, parks department representatives said.

Andrew Dallner, acting director of the O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Department, explained the system to the O’Fallon City Council during a Committee of the Whole meeting June 1.

He said O’Fallon taxpayers have invested in making the fields possible at the soccer complex. The city typically allocates $2 million to the parks each year from revenues. Taxpayers are defined as those who pay utility tax, real estate taxes and/or telecommunications tax, which all benefit the city.

“We will be happy to discuss preferential treatment and specific rates for any team or organization willing to donate $1 million to create a field at the Family Sports Park for their primary use,” Dallner said.

First priority are groups that include O’Fallon taxpayers — KiXX (former), Metro Alliance, Styx Lacrosse, School District 90, O’Fallon Township High School, Southwestern Illinois College, and so forth — but not exclusively, Dallner said.

Second are those groups who have a significant economic impact potential — league games from St. Louis Youth Soccer Association, Elite Clubs National League, and Southern Illinois Soccer League. Third are large groups and fourth are other groups.

St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois and Gateway Rush are among the regional clubs seeking access to the fields.

The economic impact from tournaments includes restaurants, businesses, hotels and motels, gas, and other items. Direct revenue is from field rentals.

Questions have arisen in recent weeks following the merger of O’Fallon’s former soccer club, KiXX United, with the old Metro East Legacy Club from Belleville, to form Metro Alliance. An agreement was signed March 22.

In the April 6 announcement, Mary Jeanne Hutchison, former director of parks and recreation, stated: “KiXX and Legacy clubs have built two premier youth soccer programs over the past two decades. By combining our strengths, we are now creating a new powerhouse that will provide greater opportunities for our current and future players.”

Hutchison is no longer employed by the city of O’Fallon. According to a statement from the city, “she was terminated for cause.”

Attorneys for Gateway Rush sent letters to the aldermen, which was discussed during an executive session at the May 3 council meeting.

Joe Reiniger, executive director of Gateway Rush, said they were seeking “fair and equitable” opportunities to lease the fields and that parents have a choice in what club is the best fit for their children.

“Gateway Rush has consistently requested to lease two fields at the O’Fallon Family Sports Park for a two-year period, but that request has been continually denied by the Parks Department,” he said.

Since then, the city has begun an investigation into the parks department. An internal audit is expected to take five weeks.

At the city council meeting June 7, a professional services agreement and a memorandum of understanding were approved with Metro Alliance. City Attorney Todd Fleming drafted the resolutions.

The memorandum confirms the April 6 contract between the parks department and Metro Alliance for leasing up to five fields four nights a week from 5-9 p.m. at the Family Sports Park.

The soccer park has both all-weather synthetic turf fields and natural grass fields available to lease through the parks department.

At the June 1 Committee of the Whole meeting, Reiniger said his club would continue to fight for the right to play at the O’Fallon Family Sports Park. He said 100 players from the O’Fallon taxing district compete for Gateway Rush.

He wants the clubs to be on fair and equitable footing.

On June 7, he presented an alternate lease proposal to the city and mailed it to officials.

“These are kids and families who want to be allowed to play in O’Fallon. This isn’t about Gateway Rush and certainly not me; this is about the kids,” Reiniger said.

More details from Gateway Rush

Gateway Rush has proposed a one-year lease for one field Monday-Thursday for $85 per hour. This equates to $30,600.

He said Gateway Rush will move all their SLYSA games to O’Fallon Park and 100% of the money generated by this will go to O’Fallon.

“Gateway Rush has a partnership with an additional 15-20 teams, from outside the metro-east region, who are willing to name O’Fallon as their home fields, which will allow for additional SLYSA games. 100% of this money will go to O’Fallon,” Reiniger said.

“These additional SLYSA games will create a direct, indirect and induced economic impact for the city of O’Fallon. Using the projections in the mayor’s presentation, these additional SLYSA games should result in a direct impact of more than $42,000 annually for the city.”

He said Gateway Rush will continue to host two tournaments a year at the agreed upon price. The direct impact would be $25,600. According to the mayor’s presentation, this economic impact resulted in $531,900 activity for the city of O’Fallon in 2019.

Reiniger said the total annual economic impact from Gateway Rush, according to the calculations used in the mayor’s presentation, would be $630,100 annually.

Gateway Rush only held one tournament in 2019 due to the cancellation of the March Meltdown because of snow.

Reiniger said Gateway Rush will have no choice but to move all their future tournaments to another location and will not transfer any SLYSA games to O’Fallon.

Different rental rates

Dallner said rates charged for the different clubs include Metro Alliance, $60; St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois, $80; Gateway Rush, $85; and St. Louis Youth Soccer Association, $82-$160.

They take into consideration the number of tournaments and the amount of people booking hotel/motel rooms and spending income in the area.

Dallner said the three tournaments Scott Gallagher sponsored in 2019 brought in $71,432 in direct revenue, with 200-300 teams traveling from nine states for an economic impact of $1,460,040. Gateway Rush brought in $63,085 in direct revenue for two tournaments, for an economic impact of $531,920.

KiXX had about 390 players. According to recent budget figures, revenue from KiXX was $356,864.70 in 2018 and $441,510.34 in 2019. Last year, $375,162.20 was recorded.

What coaches are saying

Stu Kasten, a youth soccer coach, thanked the city for their vision and foresight to build the soccer complex and bring people to O’Fallon.

Rick Artime of O’Fallon, a coach for Gateway Rush, sent city officials a letter May 11, which was his statement he read at a council meeting.

“I am hopeful that you will investigate these accusations thoroughly and carefully to the fullest extent. There is no reason why the OFSP shouldn’t get to be used fairly by all clubs and organizations that want to use it. Especially those that have O’Fallon families in them. But the No. 1 responsibility all city of O’Fallon employees and elected officials should have is acting as a fiduciary for the taxpayers of our township and treating all residents and guests fairly while maximizing revenue opportunities,” he said.

He suggested the city check out the Creve Coeur soccer complex in Missouri, which has 13 fields.

“They rent a couple fields to multiple different organizations. They do not give one club preferential treatment or let any one organization get more fields than another if there is demand for the same times. Their fields are fully rented every evening and every weekend. I believe this model should be reviewed as a potential ‘best practice’ method since ours appears to be deeply flawed,” he said.

O’Fallon officials share their viewpoints

The city will not have long-term contracts, Mayor Herb Roach said. The policy standard is one-year agreements. He said the market will set the rate.

Roach said the city did not treat KiXX United like a commodity that could be sold.

“We do not own children,” he said. “We do not tell parents where they can play.”

At the Committee of the Whole meeting, Alderman Dan Witt said, moving forward, he wanted to get updates on policies and procedures.

Alderman Ross Rosenberg said he wanted to review current best practices and rates, and market analysis and internal controls.

Alderman Jerry Albrecht said the council is to set policy, not rates for the soccer fields. He described the issue as “nonsense” and “it wasted an hour and a half of our time tonight.”