Soccer fans root on Fresno FC as they play at Chukchansi Stadium. Photo by Edward Smith

Fresno City Council member Miguel Arias has withdrawn a scheduled agenda item regarding the City of Fresno and the ownership of Fuego FC soccer team and the potential sale of Selland Arena and Valdez Hall.

The item regarding Fuego FC was scheduled for Thursday’s Fresno City Council’s closed session meeting.

“Fresnans trust us to do our due diligence when it comes to proposals like this,” Arias said. “We hope the ownership of Fuego will respect the need for full transparency to adequately review our ability to make professional soccer a viable amenity for Fresnans of all stripes. As a soccer fan, I am a champion to return professional soccer to downtown Fresno — but we must do so in the context of our city’s current financial reality and with prudent fiscal safeguards for our taxpayers.”

The city has followed the Better Business Act, developed by former Mayor Lee Brand, which requires the city to conduct proper due diligence to requests for investments in private projects with a value of more than $1 million.

The City Council has not been in receipt of any detailed information from the soccer team, in adherence to the Better Business Act and providing the city council enough opportunity to engage in due diligence, according to Arias.

“I look forward to working with the Mayor and City Council on bringing soccer back to downtown Fresno when details become readily available to the city,” Arias said.