15:00:02 | 2012-08-15
(QUEENS, NY) – What better place to build a stadium for the world’s sport than one of the most ethnically diverse places on earth? With over 100 different countries represented and over 138 different languages spoken, Major League Soccer (MLS) will be right at home in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, NY – where they are currently looking to build a $300 million, 25,000-seat stadium.
While the MLS is still in negotiations with New York State and the City, it has already been reported by The New York Post that construction on the state-of-the-art facility could begin as early as next year. Upon approval, the project will become the Tri-State Area’s second national soccer stadium and will be the official playing field of the 20th team in the league. Rival to this team will be the New York Red Bulls located in Harrison, NJ.
According to insider sources, Major League Soccer has been scouting a New York City location for quite some time, having also considered Randall’s Island and Manhattan’s Pier 40 as possible locations. After a thorough search across all five boroughs, which included 20 site viewings, the MLS has just decided on Queens’ Flushing Meadows Park for its NYC location. In a statement on Tuesday, the MLS said “We look forward to working with the community to build a world class soccer facility for all to enjoy.”
Welcoming the MLS with open arms, are Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo, who announced on Tuesday that they fully support the organization’s construction proposal. In addition to becoming a cultural mecca where people from around the globe have been and continue to migrate, Queens is also being highly developed as an epicenter for sports – both internationally and regionally.
Just on the heels of the US Open, starting August 27, we have been seeing recent reports of the United Tennis Association’s (USTA) plans for a multi-million dollar revamping of Louis Armstrong Stadium and renovation of the southwest corner’s legendary Grandstand in Corona, Queens. On the horizon is also the construction of a one-million-square-foot retail and entertainment complex west of Citi Field facilitated by Related Companies and Sterling Equities – a real estate firm affiliated with the New York Mets.
Join the conversation. What do you think about Major League Soccer’s plans to construct a stadium in Queens?
—Email lisa@brokerpulse.com
