The owners of Kansas City’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team have announced plans to develop the league’s first purpose-built stadium.
Final designs for the stadium are still in development but the team has announced today (Tuesday) that the project will cost around $70m (£51m/€60m). The project will be entirely privately financed through the ownership group, which comprises Angie Long, Chris Long and Brittany Matthews.
The new stadium would have a capacity of 11,000 and is set to open in 2024. The capacity would be expandable in the future.
Kansas City NWSL has signed a 50-year lease for Parcel 8, a 7.08-acre site on the east end of the Berkley Riverfront in Kansas City. The team’s primary design and construction partners include Kansas City-based Generator Studio, JE Dunn and Monarch Build.
Kansas City NWSL entered the league at the start of the 2021 season. The team currently plays at Legends Field, which is also used to host the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team.
Today’s announcement follows previously released plans for a privately-funded $15m training facility in Riverside, Missouri. The team also plans to play matches during the 2022 season at Children’s Mercy Park, home of men’s Major League Soccer team Sporting Kansas City.
Chris Long said: “From the beginning, our vision has been to create a player-first experience, and facilities for our team that match not only the elite level of these incredible athletes, but also the passionate support of the Kansas City metro and our fans. We believe this significant investment and commitment will shape a stronger future for our entire region and our athletes.”
Angie Long added: “World-class facilities have proven to be a catalyst in transforming all professional sports. Tremendous momentum exists in women’s sports specifically, and we are so proud to play a major role in ensuring the sport and also our region benefit from the economics and growth offered by a stadium of this magnitude.”
Images: Kansas City NWSL
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