New York's First Soccer Stadium Project Starts Public Review

New York has started the review of a project to build the city's first professional soccer stadium in the Queens borough, along with 2,500 affordable homes.

If the plan is reviewed and gets all necessary approvals as scheduled, construction of the $780 million stadium could begin in seven months.

Local soccer team New York City FC got private financing for the construction of the 25,000-seat facility. The goal is to open the stadium in 2027, following the FIFA World Cup of 2026, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

The plan to redevelop the Willets Point neighborhood in Queens will go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULRP), New York City Economic Development Corporation said in a statement Monday. It's a standard process in which applications affecting the land use of the city are reviewed publicly.

Affordable Homes

Willets Point is an area currently occupied mostly by auto-part businesses. It's within walking distance from the New York Mets' Citi Field and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the U.S Open.

The neighborhood redevelopment plan, which was unveiled in November of last year, includes the city's biggest affordable-housing development in 40 years.

Besides the soccer stadium and homes, the project includes a public school, a hotel, retail areas and 40,000 square feet of new public open space.

"With this plan, our administration is seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a brand-new neighborhood," New York Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. "As we begin the land use review process, we look forward to building on our extensive engagement by continuing conversations with community members and building a true 'City of Yes.'"

The construction of homes is expected to begin before the end of the year, according to NYCED.

The project is estimated to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating 1,550 permanent jobs and 14,200 construction jobs.

Related Companies and Sterling Equities are the private partners of New York in the plan.