Featured image credit: OKC for Soccer
Oklahoma City Council has approved a real estate donation agreement with investment firm Echo to provide nine acres of land that has been identified as the site for a new multi-purpose stadium.
The council’s MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium project will dedicate $41m (£32.4m/€38.9m) to construct a new stadium that is capable of hosting high school, collegiate and professional sporting competitions, as well as concerts and other events.
MAPS 4 is the council’s debt-free public improvement programme and is supporting 16 major projects across Oklahoma City. The council has allocated $71m to the stadium project in total.
The Populous-designed venue will have a capacity of around 12,300 seats and will be operated by USL Championship team Oklahoma City Energy FC, which is owned by Echo. The team has paused play in recent years but has retained its franchise agreement and is hoping to return to competition once the stadium is built.
The stadium land is located in the vicinity of South Shields Boulevard and SE 3rd Street. In July, through its Echo Soccer affiliate, Echo purchased an area of undeveloped property east of the Oklahoma City Convention Center and south of Bricktown, from the Producers Downtown Development.
Echo plans to develop the surrounding area into a sports-focused entertainment district, in partnership with the nearby Robinson Park. Construction is scheduled to begin next year.
David Todd, Oklahoma City Council’s MAPS programme manager, said: “Design is now underway on the multi-purpose stadium, which will include a regulation-sized playing surface capable of accommodating high school, collegiate, and professional soccer competitions, football, as well as concerts, festivals and other similar events.
“While MAPS 4 and economic development funds will be used to construct the stadium, the operator was responsible for providing a feasible site. The central location and potential for surrounding development makes this site ideal for the stadium, which will serve as an anchor for a future entertainment district.”
Christian Kanady, founding partner and chief executive of Echo, added: “As the planned centre of a new entertainment district, the future multi-purpose stadium will become a hub for much more than professional soccer and position our community to host numerous other top-tier sports, music, and entertainment activities. The world-class environment will add to the vibrance of downtown and deliver an even better quality of life for our community.”
Earlier this month, Legends-owned consultancy and business planning firm, CSL, was hired to carry out a market assessment of the stadium. It is hoped that the venue will be able to open in 2027.
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