Soccer Stadium Sneak Peak

One of the requirements that FC Cincinnati needed to meet before the team was welcomed into Major League Soccer was a soccer specific stadium. Everybody in the Queen City knows about the months long drama that unfolded as the team, the city, and Cincinnati Public Schools battled for months on a deal that benefitted all parties involved. Needless to say, a deal was reached and FCC became the newest MLS expansion team earlier this summer. The stadium appears to have been worth all the debate as the franchise unveiled initial design concepts that have left many soccer fans and reporters speechless.

The early designs for the stadium are gorgeous in my opinion and should the designs come to fruition, the fan experience for an FCC match should be one of the best in MLS. The seating capacity is estimated to be between 25,500 to 26,500 which is an increase from the original concept that the team unveiled earlier this year. The amount of seats would also make the stadium one of the largest soccer venues in the country. Part of the expanded seating options is the larger Bailey section which is expected to be double the size of the current Bailey section in Nippert Stadium.

Perhaps the most prominent feature of the stadium’s early design is the canopy roof. The canopy will go around the entire bowl and cover all seats. It will also serve as a way to help keep noise levels down in the surrounding West End neighborhoods while also increasing the volume inside the stadium to keep the pitch rocking. The canopy is also is also made of ethylene tetrafluoro-ethylene (ETFE) foil technology. This is cool feature as it allows for a variety of colors and patterns to be displayed on the canopy’s surface. It has been reported that the design stage will continue into 2019 with a target stadium opening date of March 2021. 

I am a fan of the stadium design and cannot wait to see the finished product when it opens in 2021. The fan experience at Nippert Stadium is phenomenal, and I think it will be even better in the new stadium. For now at least, it appears that the stadium will be worth the drama. The early designs are gorgeous, and the stadium should make an excellent home for Cincinnati’s newest major league team.