The Austin city council has voted in favour of officially opening negotiations with Precourt Sports Ventures, the group wanting to move from Columbus to Texas and build a new stadium in Austin.

On Wednesday the Austin city council has voted 7-4 in favour of further negotiations with Precourt Sports Ventures (PSV), based on the investor's proposal to deliver a new MLS stadium and open up a team in the city.

This doesn't make Precourt's Austin move a done deal, not by any means. But it's a major step towards the proposed 20,000+ stadium at McKalla Place.

“Precourt Sports Ventures [PSV] is extremely pleased that Austin City Council has voted to authorize negotiations and execution of agreements with PSV for a privately funded Major League Soccer [MLS] stadium and park at McKalla Place,” PSV said in a statement.

“We wish to express our gratitude to the Austin City Council for passing today's momentous resolutions. We thank council for acknowledging the groundswell of support to help bring MLS to Austin.”

However, we should all remember that bringing MLS to Austin would come at the expense of Columbus, Ohio. Supporters of the Crew haven't given up and commissioned a stadium vision of their own, one we're not yet eligible to show you.

The office of Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine, in conjunction with the city of Columbus, is suing PSV under the so-called Modell law – named after Art Modell, who moved the Browns out of Cleveland after the 1995 season – that requires sports teams that have received state funding to provide six months notice of any intention to relocate and allow local investors the option of acquiring the team.

DeWine's office said via Twitter: "Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS still have an obligation under Ohio law to provide notice and a reasonable opportunity for local investors to purchase the rights to keep the Crew in Columbus. Our lawsuit will continue. #SaveTheCrew"