Oceanside says no to RSL academy, soccer Mecca plan

Oceanside says no to soccer academy Real Salt Lake and Dell Loy Hansen will almost certainly be searching for a new option for a San Diego hub after the Oceanside city council decided the proposal wasn't for them, according to news reports out of the city.

The plan, though hazy, would have involved the creation of an academy and what Hansen called a "soccer mecca." What exactly that would have entailed is uncertain.

Smart money, though, is not on the plan being dead. That land may be unavailable, but an experiences real estate entrepreneur like Hansen isn't likely to stop there.

Previously confirmed goals for Real Salt Lake involved building a USL Pro team in San Diego, which would seem likely to still be the case. That goal is in-line with an MLS goal for all clubs to establish direct affiliation of some form with a USL Pro side as the league searches for ways to improve player development and to reshape the reserves league.