Cleveland Soccer Group hopes South Gateway Stadium will host NWSL and MLS Next Pro Soccer games, local college and high school games, concerts and festivals.
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Soccer Group announced new details Thursday regarding its efforts to bring a National Women's Soccer League franchise to The Land.
CSG released an economic impact study and artistic renderings and video for the proposed South Gateway Stadium, located just south of Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in downtown Cleveland. The group hopes the stadium will be the first women's-only sports facility in the United States. It is funded by a combination of public and private funds.
“Thirty years ago, local elected officials made a groundbreaking decision to support Jacobs Field and Gund Arena,” said Michael Murphy, the group's CEO. . “This decision transforms Gateway from a surface parking lot into the region's largest entertainment and hospitality destination enjoyed by millions of people each year.・This will be a major step in further increasing the momentum of the core-to-shore development plan.”
The group plans to use the stadium to host games between future NWSL teams and MLS Next Pro Men's teams, as well as local college and high school sporting events, concerts and festivals. Cleveland already acquired MLS Next Pro Club three years ago and is scheduled to begin play in 2025.
CSG said the proposed 12,500-seat stadium is the “foundation” of the NWSL's expansion bid, calling it a “critical juncture” as the NWSL plans to finalize its bid for a 16th team within the next month. It is said that it is reaching .
“Two years ago, we were one of the last four out of 82 organizations nationwide that expressed interest,” he said. “That experience sent a clear message to us that without a viable soccer-centric stadium plan, there is no opportunity for top-level professional soccer in Cleveland. We have had dozens of discussions with our team and it is essential that we finalize a comprehensive stadium plan quickly. Cleveland's chances of winning the team are narrowing. ”
Cleveland Soccer Group releases renderings of proposed NWSL stadium
The bid comes amid an unprecedented wave of interest and investment in the NWSL and U.S. women's sports in general. According to CSG, the average number of spectators per game in the NWSL for the 2023 season will be 10,400, an increase of 32% from the previous year, and the average number of spectators for the ongoing 2024 season will be about 11,600 per game, an increase from last year. It is trending at a pace of increase of 12%. A new television rights deal negotiated ahead of this season has dramatically increased the league's media revenue.
Team ratings are also skyrocketing in the NWSL. The owners of Bay FC in California's San Francisco Bay Area, which entered the league this year, paid a record $53 million expansion fee. Seattle Reign FC was acquired in 2019 for approximately $3.5 million, but was recently sold to a consortium that included Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders for $58 million.
“As a family, we have watched women's soccer grow by leaps and bounds over the past 10 years at both the developmental and professional levels,” said Robin Minter, a Cleveland corporate and real estate attorney who worked on the bid. Myers said. “There is no doubt that the sport is gaining momentum from fans locally and around the world, as well as corporate partners interested in supporting a new generation of athletes.”
CSG estimates that the stadium project, which would cost approximately $150 million if approved and constructed, would generate an economic impact of $4.1 billion over the first 30 years of operation. The group plans to invest $60 million in private investment in the stadium, as well as funding training facilities for the NWSL and MLS Next Pro teams. Planned private investment totals $193 million, representing about 68% of the total project (the group has not disclosed details of the private stakeholders involved).
The group is proposing that the remaining $90 million be covered by a “four-party agreement” involving CSG investors, the city government of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the state government of Ohio. CSG's proposal calls for no new or increased taxes on residents and instead calls for funding through admissions taxes and revenue bonds.
As our partners at Cleveland.com have reported, CSG faces some competition in seeking public funding for sports stadium projects. Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are considering either renovating the team's current Lakeside Stadium or building a new domed stadium, Brook Park, for which governments are funding a record $600 million. , is in the midst of discussions with county and state leaders. Additionally, the “sin tax” that funds Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse appears set to run out well before its scheduled 2034 date.
CSG points to two things that the group hopes will help separate it from a crowded field of potential borrowers. First of all, the NWSL's solid and rapidly approaching bidding deadline creates a sense of urgency that other teams don't currently share. Perhaps more importantly, there is a gender equality perspective. Ohio's men's professional sports teams have received $2 billion in public funding for facilities over the past 30 years, while women's sports have received zero total.
“We know there are many needs in our region, but this project focuses on supporting women's athletics and will make a huge impact. [return on investment] It will serve the entire region and deliver on the promise of South Gateway,” Murphy said.
Organizers of Cleveland's NWSL bid believe the city is poised to take advantage of a seismic shift in American women's sports. This comes after the city recently hosted the NCAA Women's Final Four Basketball Championships, generating an estimated $25 million in economic impact and considerable buzz over the course of one weekend. Additionally, 13,000 people pledged to buy season tickets during last October's Back the Bid campaign, more than could fit in the group's proposed stadium.
“As we've seen, when the RNC, NBA Finals and NCAA Women's Final Four garner national attention, we rise to the occasion,” said David Gilbert, CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. Told. “By bringing women's soccer to Cleveland, we're not just investing in the game; we're investing in the future. We've leveraged our sports infrastructure to grow our economy. ’s track record speaks volumes, and this can build on that momentum.”
An animated rendering of CSG's proposed South Gateway Stadium walk can be seen in the video player below.
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