INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night voted to pass a Professional Sports Development Area to help fund a proposed Major League Soccer stadium.

The vote was 16-8, with one abstention.

The proposed tax area would collect specific taxes in the surrounding area to help fund the stadium. The Professional Sports Development Area is on Pearl Street where the old downtown heliport is located.

The mayor announced the city’s attempt to get a Major League Soccer team at the end of April. Officials says an investor group is in place to bring an MLS team to Indianapolis.

The entire series of events has been met with critical feedback and came as city officials said the plan to build a United Soccer League soccer stadium and surrounding development fell apart. That project was called Eleven Park.

Just six months ago, the council approved one of these tax districts at the old Diamond Chain Co. site to help fund the Indy Eleven soccer stadium along the White River.

Both sites are in the district of Democratic Councilor Kristen Jones. She firmly called on the council not to approve this new tax area for the proposed MLS site after the city backed out of the Indy Eleven deal.

“At no time did my constituents ask me to put aside my oath that I swore to and simply be a rubber stamp of approval for any administration,” Jones said. “And that same holds true for every councilor sitting here tonight.”

The city now says that private-public partnership is dead.

This vote does not stop Eleven Park from being built but removes any tax dollars from the funding equation.

The city has offered to buy that site at fair market value.

City officials and some councilors have said this is Indianapolis’ only chance to bring an MLS team to the city. Others have pushed back on this notion addressing concerns about passing a tax district without all the information calling this a “used car salesman tactic.”

There is a deadline to get this approved locally so it can be sent to the state for final approval this summer.

“This is a chance of a lifetime. There is no other viable option here,” said Ron Gibson, (D) Indianapolis. “And this is bigger than one council district. I am sorry it is. This impacts the city as a whole.”

Officials note this vote does not guarantee a professional soccer team.

Now the proposal goes back to the Metropolitan Development Commission for another vote before that appointed body can send it to the state for final approval.