Cleveland’s bid for a professional soccer team faced a setback in December when Denver secured a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise instead. However, the Cleveland Soccer Group (CSG) has regrouped and is moving forward with fresh renderings and a renewed plan to build a stadium downtown.
Michael Murphy, Co-Founder and CEO of CSG, emphasized that Cleveland still holds a license for a men’s Major League Soccer (MLS) Next team, which serves as a developmental league for MLS.
CSG is now focused on constructing a $50 million stadium in an area they are calling South Gateway, located on the opposite side of the Innerbelt Bridge from the Cleveland Guardians’ ballpark.
“We’re incredibly excited to continue the momentum we’ve built over the past few years and bring professional soccer to Cleveland,” Murphy said. “While we haven’t yet broken ground, we’ve done our homework, we have site control through our Metroparks partner, and we’re proud to share the support we’ve garnered from local institutions, businesses, and fans.”
The proposed site is currently owned by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), meaning that any purchase would need to go through Cleveland Metroparks in partnership with CSG.
“As we move forward, we’re excited to continue working alongside CSG to ensure this project complements our mission to connect people with the outdoors and downtown Cleveland,” said Brian M. Zimmerman, CEO of Cleveland Metroparks. “We’re encouraged by the vision for the South Gateway Stadium and its potential to transform this underutilized area into a vibrant, community-focused space.”
A new economic impact study released by CSG suggests that the proposed stadium could generate $2.4 billion in economic activity over a 30-year period.
