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Will Downtown Detroit Get a Major League Soccer Team?

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If so, where will it go?

Michelle & Chris Gerard

Quicken Loans founder/Detroit real estate savior Dan Gilbert and Pistons owner Tom Gores set off a frenzy on Twitter today, hinting at the possibility for a Major League Soccer team in Detroit. Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept the Pistons in the first round of playoffs, said this:

Haha. Kick around - I get it!

According to the Free Press, the two issued a statement saying, "Detroit is rising and we know firsthand the power of sports to lift a community and drive a civic renaissance. We are very excited about the prospect of bringing Major League Soccer to Detroit and building an ownership group that represents a cross-section of investors."

But wait, Detroit has a soccer team (but not an MLS team). Detroit City FC released a statement in response, saying

"We have always believed that for soccer to live up to its full potential in southeast Michigan, a team must be connected to the community and focused on soccer supporter culture. The founding of a professional team is a golden opportunity, but in an already crowded market, success is never guaranteed.

As stewards of the local soccer community, our ownership group will continue to do all that we can to ensure professional soccer in Detroit stays true to the model that the supporters and fans of Detroit City FC have come to expect."

So Curbed Detroit readers, if a soccer team were to locate in Detroit, where should it be? The Free Press had some ideas, and we'll add our own.