ORLANDO, Fla. Chris Bigras Jersey . -- County commissioners on Tuesday approved $20 million in tourism taxes to be used toward the funding of an $84 million downtown Orlando Major League Soccer stadium, clearing the last hurdle for the city to be the home of the leagues next expansion franchise. MLS president Mark Abbott said in a statement after the vote that the league looks forward to working with the Orlando ownership group to finalize the agreement to bring a franchise to the central Florida city. The commissions vote was 5-2 Tuesday night. It came after a six-hour meeting that included comments from more than 100 members of the community speaking mostly in support. Earlier this month, city officials voted unanimously on the same funding plan to help the minor league USL Pro League Orlando City Soccer Club build the 18,000-seat, soccer-specific stadium. The team will contribute the rest of the funding for construction. Following the vote, dozens of purple-clad Orlando City fans in the standing-room only commission chamber erupted in applause and began chanting "We are going MLS! We are going MLS!" Orlando City has been lobbying to become a MLS expansion team for more than three years, but currently plays in the outdated Florida Citrus Bowl. Now that the city and county have approved, Orlando City Soccer owner Phil Rawlins said that an official agreement with MLS could be completed within weeks. Once thats in place, construction would be next with an opening date of 2015 planned. When Rawlins brought the minor team to Orlando in 2010, he predicted it could move up to the MLS within five years. He said his prognostication was less about wishful thinking and more about belief in Orlando as a market. "I felt very strongly at the time that was achievable," Rawlins said. "I think Orlando is a great marketplace for MLS. Its proven that with the support it has in the minor leagues. I know the city is very anxious for a second major sports team and MLS is excited about expansion in the southeast...So I felt confident we could make that happen in that time frame." Among those joining fans and business owners to speak on behalf of MLS coming to Orlando were Orlando Magic co-founders Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt. Williams lauded the foresight city officials had when they first brought the idea of NBA expansion to Orlando 25 years ago. "Once again this community is faced with that vision thing once again," Williams told commissioners. Rawlins said once the final paperwork is complete with the league, they hope to make an announcement in about a month. "I think anytime youre building toward a vision and achieving your dreams its always exciting," Rawlins said. A.J. Greer Jersey . Rodriguez, who has steadfastly denied using banned substances while with the New York Yankees, made the decision nearly four weeks after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz largely upheld the discipline issued last summer by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. "I think its a good move for him," former Commissioner Fay Vincent said. Conor Timmins Jersey . The Earthquakes (6-9-7) were coming off a 5-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas. Even with the draw, the Sounders (13-7-3) climbed back into a tie for both the Western Conference and overall top spot in MLS. Seattle, West co-leader Real Salt Lake and East leader Sporting Kansas City all have 42 points. http://www.officialavalanchefanstore.com/customized/ . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come.NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Minnesota Timberwolves could see the trouble that Brooklyn centre Brook Lopez was having with Nikola Pekovic, so they knew where to go with the ball for the biggest possession of the game.Pekovic converted a tiebreaking three-point play with 48 seconds left, and the Timberwolves scored the final nine points of the game to beat the Nets 98-91 on Wednesday night.After Joe Johnson coughed up the ball to Thaddeus Young for the Nets 17th turnover of the night, Minnesota found Pekovic guarded by Lopez, who was playing in his second game after spraining his right foot. Pekovic drew contact with an easy basket under the paint, then made the free throw for a 94-91 lead.That was the plan, Pekovic said. Thats what Coach said. Im glad the guys really believe in me and they start calling plays for me. Coach called something and Ricky (Rubio) said, No, no, we give the ball to him.Lopez committed an offensive foul on the ensuing play for Brooklyns final turnover. Youngs floater extended the lead 96-91 with 27 seconds remaining, and after Johnson missed a pair of shots, Kevin Martin hit a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the victory.Its hard to win, especially in crunch time like that. You have to take care of the ball and value every possession, said Johnson, who led the Nets with 22 points.We had two costly turnovers and we paid the price at the end.Martin led the Timberwolves with 26 points and rookie Andrew Wiggins, playing in the arena where he was taken by Cleveland with the No. 1 pick in the draft, added 17.Deron Williams had 19 points for the Nets (2-2), who had won their last two games but will face the rival New York Knicks for the first time this season.Its good to get any game after this one. Were disappointed in how we closed out the game, Williams said. Its the beautiful thing of the NBA, you get a chance to get back on the court in a couple of days. Its good that were playing the Knicks and we are always excited about that rivalry.Minnesota looked like it was going to coast off to an easy victory, jumping out to a 17-2 lead midway through the first quarter as the Nets misfired on 10 shots. Anton Lindholm Jersey. Brooklyn outscored the Timberwolves 46-30 during the next 18:06 to take a 48-47 at the half but the visitors took advantage of eight miscues by the Nets to go back ahead in the third quarter.We battled because I think thats the culture were trying to establish, Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. Play hard, go out and battle every possession.Minnesota had a 72-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter but was shaky to start the period, committing three turnovers that helped the Nets to a 10-0 run and a 76-72 lead on Williams 3-pointer with 8:19 left.Johnsons 8-foot floater handed the Nets a 91-89 lead with 1:28 remaining before Rubio, who scored 14 points, 12 assists, beat Lopez and Williams to the basket for a layup that evened it at 91 with 1:17 left and set the stage for Pekovic.Well, the guy whipped him, Nets coach Lionel Hollins said about the matchup between Pekovic and Lopez.I mean, it happens. Youve got to give Pekovic credit. He was a man in there and Im always saying that theres always a badder man than you in the prison, you know, and you got to do it every night.___TIP-INSTimberwolves: Pekovic and Young both had double-doubles. Pekovic finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Young added 10 points and 11 boards.Nets: Lopez scored 10 points but shot just 5 of 14 in his second game back from a sprained right foot. Its tough. I am very disappointed in myself, he said. I felt the team played hard. I shot ourselves in the foot multiple times. I picked up the dumb foul. I didnt take care of my responsibilities down on defence the line.... Brooklyn was just 11 of 17 (65 per cent) from the free throw line.COOL OFFAfter hitting his first four shots, Williams finished off hitting just four of his next 12. I think we were stuck in the mud at times, he said.TRY AGAIN NEXT TIMERubio was two rebounds short of a triple-double. He had 17 assists Saturday in a loss to Chicago.UP NEXTTimberwolves: Visit Orlando on Friday.Nets: Host New York on Friday Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '