Railyards Stadium

Last updated
Railyards Stadium
New Sacramento Republic FC stadium.jpg
Rendering of the stadium released in April 2019
Railyards Stadium
Location Sacramento Railyards, Sacramento, California
Coordinates 38°35′25″N121°29′27″W / 38.5903°N 121.4909°W / 38.5903; -121.4909
Owner Sacramento Republic FC
OperatorSacramento Republic FC
Type Soccer-specific stadium
Capacity 12,000
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened2027 (tentative)
Construction cost$252 million
Architect HNTB
Tenants
Sacramento Republic FC (USLC)

The Railyards Stadium is a planned 12,000 seat soccer-specific stadium to be built in Sacramento, California, that could be expanded to seat up to 21,000. It will serve as the home for Sacramento Republic FC, a USL Championship club, with intentions to join Major League Soccer as an expansion team. The stadium is part of the Sacramento Railyards redevelopment project and it was unanimously approved in April 2019 by the Sacramento City Council, [1] [2] [3] The stadium was scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2023 MLS season, before the MLS expansion was indefinitely halted in February 2021. [4] In November 2024, Sacramento Republic FC and the mayor of Sacramento Darrell Steinberg announced a restart plans for construction of a 12,000 seater stadium and entertainment district in Sacramento Railyards. The tentative opening of the new stadium is in 2027. [5]

Contents

History

In late 2011, a group led by former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez began exploring the possibility of having an MLS team in the Sacramento area, originally looking at stadium sites in the suburb of Elk Grove. [6] Sacramento Republic FC was announced as a 2014 expansion team for the second-division United Soccer League on December 3, 2012. [7] Local business leaders, including Warren Smith, hoped to convert the franchise to a Major League Soccer team by 2016. [8] On September 17, 2014, the team announced its intentions to acquire property at the Sacramento Railyards infill project for a soccer stadium. [9] More details of the stadium were announced in late 2015: HNTB was hired as the lead architects of the stadium, [10] and the design of the stadium (partially influenced by fan input) was revealed on December 1, 2015. [11] The official go-ahead from the City Council was given on November 10, 2016. [12] However, the construction of the stadium was delayed as the team did not have an investor who satisfied the requirements of MLS. On January 22, 2019, Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle was announced as the investor needed for MLS promotion. [13] Around two months later, the stadium design was updated; additions to the old design included a 360-degree concourse/pedestrian walkway, new seating at the canopy level on the west side of the stadium, and additional field-level seating areas. The cost for the stadium was raised to approximately $252 million. [14] Following the expansion announcement, construction on the stadium was expected to begin in 2020 ahead of a 2022 opening, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the move to MLS to 2023. [15] The MLS expansion bid was placed on hold in March 2021 after Burkle left the ownership group. [16]

In April 2022, the team announced plans for a downsized stadium on the site. The revised stadium plan, which is not contingent on the revival of the MLS bid, calls for a 12,000-15,000 seat facility that can be expanded in the future should demand warrant it. [17] [18] [19]

On November 7, 2024, during an announcement that announced the team had been sold to the Wilton Rancheria tribe, plans to restart development on the site were announced, with a capacity of 12,000 that could be expanded to 20,000 should MLS move forward with expansion plans in Sacramento. [20] [21] The new plan calls for $175 million to be directed to the site and $42 million on surrounding infrastructure on the 31 acre site. The stadium and entertainment district are planned to be opened by 2027. [22]

Design

The current stadium design was unveiled in April 2019. Although the stadium is designed with a closed bowl, it will have separate stands on different sides, creating a distinct character for each one, reminiscent of St James' Park. In order to meet the designer's goal of creating MLS's best home-field advantage, the seating will feature the steepest grade in the league, as well as an untiered east side that bears similarities to Westfalenstadion's Yellow Wall. [23]

Major events

College soccer

On October 14, 2020, the NCAA announced that the stadium would host the semifinals and finals of the NCAA College Cup soccer tournament in 2024 and 2025; the men's tournament in 2024 and the Women's College Cup in 2025. [24] However, when stadium construction was halted in 2021, these events were moved to WakeMed Soccer Park, home of fellow USL Championship club North Carolina FC. [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "Sacramento's MLS dream may soon be reality. Here's what we know about the stadium so far". www.sacbee.com. Sacramento Bee. April 19, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Sacramento City Council unanimously approves stadium plans". MLS SOCCER. April 10, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Sacramento Republic FC say major soccer announcement coming next week". MLS SOCCER. October 16, 2019. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff. "Sacramento MLS team on indefinite hold after investor pulls out of deal". ESPN. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  5. ↑ Biderman, Chris (2024-11-07). "Deal struck for Sacramento soccer stadium. Wilton Rancheria now owns majority of Republic FC". Sac Bee. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  6. ↑ Kasler, Dale (December 14, 2011). "Group exploring Major League Soccer franchise for Elk Grove". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Sacramento lands minor league soccer franchise". Sacramento Bee. December 3, 2012. Archived from the original on December 4, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  8. ↑ Lillis, Ryan (November 28, 2013). "Sacramento soccer franchise has ambitious goal". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  9. ↑ Joyce, Ed. "Sacramento Republic FC Moves To Acquire Railyards Property For Soccer Stadium". CapRadio. Capital Public Radio. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Sacramento Republic FC hires architect for MLS Stadium". Sacramento Bee. August 19, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Concept designs unveiled for new Sacramento MLS stadium". Sacramento Republic FC. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  12. ↑ Lillis, Ryan. "Soccer stadium, huge railyard project get OK from Sacramento City Council". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  13. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff (January 22, 2019). "Sacramento Republic's MLS hopes get boost as Ron Burkle agrees to take over team". ESPN . Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  14. ↑ Communications, Republic FC (April 2, 2019). "Republic FC Release Updated MLS Stadium Renderings". Sacramento Republic FC - USL.
  15. ↑ "Major League Soccer, Republic FC Adjust Expansion Timeline Due to Pandemic" (Press release). Sacramento Republic FC. July 17, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  16. ↑ Salerno, Cameron (March 1, 2021). "Burkle backs out: Sac Republic fans react to news of teams bid to MLS being in doubt". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Republic FC release 'new vision' for Railyards stadium". April 2022.
  18. ↑ "Republic FC Prepares New Vision for Downtown Stadium to Ignite a New Era of Development in Sacramento".
  19. ↑ Van der Meer, Ben (2022-08-23). "Republic FC seeks fee estimate for Railyards stadium". American City Business Journals .
  20. ↑ Silverman, Alex (2024-11-07). "Wilton Rancheria tribe buys USL's Republic FC". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  21. ↑ Nobert, Matthew (2024-11-07). "Sacramento Republic announces new stadium and ownership". FOX40. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  22. ↑ Ramos, Richard (2024-11-07). "Republic FC announces Wilton Rancheria as majority owner, new details about Sacramento Railyards stadium plans - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  23. ↑ "A stadium built for the world's game". Sacramento Republic FC. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  24. ↑ "RAILYARDS STADIUM AWARDED 2024 MEN'S COLLEGE CUP AND 2025 WOMEN'S COLLEGE CUP". Sacramento Republic FC. October 14, 2020. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  25. ↑ "College Cup: Men's DI soccer championship future dates and sites". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
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