UPDATE:
Construction is underway at the Austin FC McKalla Place stadium after breaking ground Monday (September 9th) morning.
Famed Austinite, actor and Austin FC investor Matthew McConaughey joined in the festivities as the team officially broke ground at McKalla Place and told scores of soccer fans and area business and political leaders, the stadium will be a home for all of Austin, and it’s important to keep those local values as we grow, “We got a chance and responsibility here, to keep our village values here, with that experience and this stadium is quintessentially Austin…alright, that’s on us.”
While many were celebrating the stadium work’s start, some on the outside suggest the McKalla Place site itself is unsafe. That land happens to be a little-known toxic chemical plant explosion waste site from the ‘80s. Austin attorney Bill Aleshire told Newsradio KLBJ every environmental consultant says workers need special hazmat suits… and heavy equipment needs blast shields. “A couple weeks ago, the city staff they approved [Austin FC] to go ahead and do site work and did not include those high hazard excavation standards for the protection of workers or others who might be around.” Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez is calling for the workers to be protected or discouraged from working there.
To that Austin FC team owner gave a quick retort, he said there will always be a negative voice in the community but believes most are for the team. “The state has done an environmental audit and deemed this appropriate for affordable housing, so has the City. And we have a program where we have a soccer park and possibly affordable housing on site. So we feel very comfortable about the health of this site.”
On the flip side of the conversation, Major League Soccer President Mark Abbott was encouraged and excited about the ground breaking. He said Austin is going to be a great fit for the league and it’ll be the youth that’ll benefit, “We already know so many kids play soccer here. But now there going to have something to look up to and they know, that when they’re playing in the youth soccer leagues and developing in the academy, this is an aspiration for them.” Abbott added the global outlook of the Austin Community and the pride that residents hold for local teams will help form a welcome environment for Austin FC.
The 20,500-seat stadium is expected to open in Spring 2021
Original:
Austin FC officially broke ground on its McKalla Place Stadium Monday morning (September 9th). The team’s owner Anthony Precourt said its a rather exciting day for him. “You know we’re building this for the City of Austin. For the fans, for the youth soccer players in this community, this is going to be a year round stadium for soccer matches, for cultural events. Its going to be a soccer park on non-game days.”
Touting the organization’s economic benefits. Mayor Steve Adler praised the Austin FC crew for and for keeping promises to the community and to council every step of the way. “Already the youth programs, already the jobs and the focus here on out community as you build out this organization. The things you said you would do, you have done.” Adler also thanked the team’s leadership for respecting the city process as council worked to make sure the stadium deal and a new Major League Soccer team was a good fit for Austin.
The 20,500-seat stadium, whose construction is being 100{211d4eaff5f6ab776b9f468c919065fc3aae4df093916ddbc4a838f2fb9137eb} privately funded, is expected to open in Spring 2021, will be owned by the City of Austin and operated by Austin FC, the first major league team in Austin and the 27th club to join Major League Soccer.
Internal and external features of this development include:
– Eight (8) acres of open and green space, including trails and public accessibility and a performance and gathering area immediately adjoining the stadium
– Unique design and signature canopy structure which offers shade and coverage from inclement weather and which will also promote an unequaled event atmosphere – Fan-focused, intimate stadium seating environment and all-natural grass playing surface
– Austin FC team store featuring the largest selections of Austin FC merchandise that will be open to the general public on non-matchdays
– LEED certification status
– Stadium and landscape designs which showcase local materials and vegetation
– Three (3) climate-controlled club lounges programmable for Austin FC matches and other events
– Eco-friendly elements including a storm-management system that reduces impact into creeks, lakes and aquifers, and drought tolerant site lawn and field turf
– Public DAS (“Distributed Antenna System”) and WiFi systems throughout the stadium to boost connectivity and offer access to stadium technology features
– Massive LED videoboard and interactive ribbon panel technology to further boost the fan experience
– Approximately 835 spots for onsite event parking
– Future on-site development area for 130 affordable housing units in conjunction with Foundation Communities
(Photo:Newsradio KLBJ 590am/99.7fm/Jon Cooley)
