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Highmark Stadium Expansion on Tap

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Highmark Stadium is set to receive an expansion, as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds are aiming to meet Division II capacity standards. 

The home of the Riverhounds is compliant with most major standards set by the United States Soccer Federation for Division II soccer, but falls short when it comes to capacity. Current specifications call for Division II facilities to offer a minimum capacity of 5,000, but Highmark Stadium only holds 3,500 seats and a maximum capacity of 4,000.

As one of the USL clubs that is working to be compliant with that standard, the Riverhounds will expand Highmark Stadium. A firm construction schedule has not been revealed, but the club anticipates that the project will be completed in time for the 2018 season. More from The Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The Riverhounds are one of eight teams that fall short of the minimum capacity standard of 5,000 seats, according to SI.com. The USL requested four waivers for the 2017 season, and USL president Jake Edwards vowed that all teams will be compliant before the 2018 season.

“[USL teams have] known for a little while that we were doing it,” USL executive vice president Tom Veit said during a phone interview. “When we made provisional division II status for the 2017 season and then we’ve applied for full status for the 2018 season, and as part of that we have to have all of our teams comply with stadium guidelines.”

Riverhounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger doesn’t have a timeline for when the expansion project will begin, but he anticipates it being a quick process that will wrap up before the 2018 season begins.

Highmark Stadium has been home to the Riverhounds since 2013.

Image courtesy Pittsburgh Riverhounds. 

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