This Just In: Update on Bringing National Women’s Soccer League to Cleveland

ICYMI: There’s been a ton of great stories about our effort to build a women’s soccer stadium in Cleveland. Our plans for this stadium – and the fans to fill it – are the cornerstone of our bid for the NWSL’s 16th expansion team. 

The bid is due next month.

(Even if you’ve watched this 1,000,000x, like we have, take it in one more time:)

Five facts about project funding & our investment in it:

1. Entire project cost: $283 million, including public and private investment into the publicly owned $150-million soccer stadium. 
2. We’re seeking $90 million (32% of entire project) in public money, from the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio. Public support would be largely funded through bonds repaid by new revenues generated from the stadium (e.g. admissions taxes, sales taxes, parking taxes, employment taxes). 
3. It will be a publicly owned stadium (government owns it; team holds a lease). 
4. Cleveland Pro Soccer will invest $193 million (68% of the total project), including $60 million for the stadium.
5. We will commit $133 million for team training facilities and NWSL & MLS Next Pro team operations.

See the breakdown of the stadium’s anticipated $4.1 billion economic impact and stadium renderings for soccer matches, college games and concerts in this post from WKYC.

Thank you for your support from the start and during this FINAL stretch! We look forward to telling you when the bid has been submitted and what we hear along the way.

Stay tuned and STAY LOUD!
Michael Murphy, Nolan Gallagher & Cleveland Pro Soccer