Austin FC and parent company Two Oak Ventures have officially broken ground on the Major League Soccer franchise’s new stadium, which is expected to open in spring 2021.
The 20,500-seat stadium will be 100-per-cent privately funded and will be built at 10414 McKalla Place in Austin. The open-air stadium will feature canopy coverage over all of the seats, concourses and plaza entries.
Open-air corners of the stadium will also be incorporated, allowing for natural breezes to circulate around the seating bowl and the rest of the stadium. The venue will also include a number of seating products that will feature breathable mesh seating materials that lower seat temperatures on warm days.
Anthony Precourt, managing partner and chief executive of Two Oak Ventures and Austin FC, said: “We have set out not only to build one of the most tech-forward, modern and eco-friendly sporting, entertainment and community venues in North America, but also to make it a welcoming and proud gathering place for all Austinites. Once complete, this stadium will be a new home for both Austin FC and our whole community. We are delighted that work officially starts today.”
Austin FC will become the first major league team in the city and the 27th MLS franchise when it enters the league in 2021.
The new stadium will feature a natural-grass playing surface, which has been strategically designed to host a range of football matches, including MLS, US men’s and women’s national team fixtures, and high-school matches. The stadium will also have the capacity to stage other professional and amateur sporting events, concerts, community activities and cultural events.
The stadium site will feature eight acres of open and green space, which will include trails and public accessibility and a performance and gathering area immediately next to the stadium. Three climate-controlled lounges will also be built into the stadium, which has been awarded LEED certification status.
Other features include a storm-management system, public DAS and Wi-Fi systems, a massive LED videoboard and interactive ribbon panel technology, and around 835 on-site parking spots.
A dedicated stadium construction camera digital feature is now active and available for fans to watch on AustinFC.com.
Mark Abbott, president and deputy commissioner of MLS, added: “This publicly-owned stadium, as the home of Austin FC, demonstrates the club’s unwavering commitment to providing fans a world-class sports and entertainment experience.
“Soccer specific stadiums have been a cornerstone of Major League Soccer’s growth. This state-of-the-art facility will continue to raise the profile of Austin on the world stage, give fans an electric atmosphere to enjoy matches, and serve as a gathering place for the entire community.”
The stadium, and the land on which it is built, will be owned by the City of Austin upon completion of the project. Stadium construction is being led by Austin Commercial, with Gensler serving as the lead architect and CAA Icon on board to oversee project management services.
Image: Austin FC
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