A proposed Tacoma USL stadium has received a boost, as the Tacoma City Council has passed a resolution in support of constructing the facility.
Beginning with the 2018 USL season, Sounders FC 2 will play its home matches at Cheney Stadium, which also hosts baseball’s Tacoma Rainiers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Playing at Cheney Stadium, however, is intended to be a temporary solution until a new Tacoma soccer stadium opens.
The stadium has been pitched for a 2020 opening, and it appears to have solid support among city officials, with the council passing the resolution unanimously on Tuesday. More from The News Tribune:
“Lots of work still to do with our partners at Metro Parks, the city, and Sounders FC, but this is a meaningful step,” Tacoma Rainiers President Aaron Artman said of the council’s vote. “It’s exciting to see the enthusiasm around the project, and we look forward to reaching out to a broader coalition of the community to do something that invigorates Central Tacoma and the supporter community at large.”
Going forward, Sounders FC 2 will still be owned by MLS’s Seattle Sounders FC, which will supply the players and coaches while the Rainiers handle game-day and business operations. It has been expected that at some point Sounders FC will be rebranded to receive a more Tacoma-specific identity.
RELATED STORIES: Seattle Sounders FC 2 Transitioning to Tacoma in 2018; Sounders, Rainiers Reach Agreement on Tacoma USL Team, New Stadium