Council tentatively OKs funding for women's soccer stadium

Why it matters: Council's clock is ticking to finalize the deal after the franchise warned it could build its stadium outside the city.

State of play: The agreement would give $50 million from the city's capital improvement fund to pay for the Santa Fe Yards site and prepare it for construction.

Context: Council president Amanda Sandoval said the club's public statement that it had contacted unnamed jurisdictions for possible stadium sites felt targeted toward her after she and other council members sought project details.

• Summit FC's controlling owner Rob Cohen said the idea of looking elsewhere wasn't a "threat" but a response to reports confirming the team's search.
• "None of us are happy about how the process evolved," Cohen added.

Between the lines: The city has pledged $70 million in total for the project, with plans for the remaining $20 million to come from interest earned from the Elevate Denver bond program.

• Initial projections suggest the stadium could cost up to $200 million total, with most paid by the ownership group.

The intrigue: Club leaders are highlighting local enthusiasm for the new team as a major reason to stay in Denver, citing a sold-out season ticket inventory after an NWSL-record 15,000 deposits.

• The club says it sold nearly 30,000 tickets for its inaugural game at Empower Field at Mile High in March, putting it on pace to sell 40,000 tickets as it aims to break Major League Soccer's attendance record.

What's next: Sandoval has asked for a community benefits agreement — a legally binding document outlining the public's priorities — to be delivered to council by Friday.

• A final Denver City Council vote on the $50 million package is expected Dec. 22.