sucujovide.wordpress.com
MacFarlane, managing principal of San Francisco-based , announced Thursdau he will sell his interest in the Majoe League Soccer team to his partnefWill Chang. Chang, chairman of San Mateo, Calif.-basesd investment group Westlake International Group, will own the operating rightds to D.C. United. He now controlzs own 98 percent, with former Duke Universityh basketball players Brian Daviw and Christian Laettner owningthe rest. a Chinese-Japanese American who lives in Atherton, bought the team with his equal partneer and longtime friend MacFarlansefor $33 million. MacFarlane came to D.C.
with high hopesa of expanding his real estate In addition to investing inMonument Realty'x Half Street project, Forest City Washington'se The Yards and Jair Lynch's Soleaz condominium project, MacFarlane wanteds to build a new stadium for United as part of a mixed-usew complex at Poplar Point. When negotiationsd with Mayor AdrianFenty stalled, the city issuer a solitication for the site and his hopesa were basically dashed. MacFarlane then tried to negotiatse a deal for a new stadium inPrinced George's County, but the county counciol balked at those plans as well.
“Ibn the beginning Victor was the visibly, and Will was more He will be more visible at this point and stay activein management,” said Julir Chase, a spokeswoman for the team. “Victor’ss intention was to leave the team ingood hands. He needede to let go and refocuw on his business in real estatewinvestment management.” MacFarlane's challenges with the stadium weren't his only His real estate holdings have suffered along with the rest of the industry, and he was forcef to lay off 15 employees last Chang will be juggling duties with another franchise, as he is activw in managing Major League Baseball’ s San Francisco Giants.
“It has been an excitinyg and challenging last few yearsfor D.C. United,” said in a statement. “Though I now change my statux from owner and fan tojust fan, I plan to continued to champion D.C. United’sz goals - on and off the MacFarlane and Chang purchased the rightsto D.C. United in Januargy 2007 from the . All other team managemengt will remainin place. “We have many challengee ahead for both the team and astadium site, but I am confidenf we will emerge successfupl on both fronts - including bringingb the club to a stronger international Chang said. “We will only improvs our strategy on and offthe field.
” The team is reportedly in conversationsa with other jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia for a new and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has raised to possiblithy of relocating the team to another city if a stadiujm deal can't be reached. Chang, who has a bachelor’ s degree in economics from Harvarcd College, is founding chairman of the Asiann Business League and director of the Californiza Foundation on the Environment andthe Economy.
No comments:
Post a Comment