Dan DiMicco is set to become the majority owner of the Charlotte Independence, according to reports.
Former CEO of the Charlotte-based Nucor, DiMicco is set to take on a major role with the Independence. While some details about his purchase, including the price, remain unknown, it is anticipated that DiMicco’s role could provide a boost to the USL club. More from The Charlotte Observer:
In an email to the Observer Thursday, Charlotte Independence President Jim McPhilliamy called the retired executive a “great addition to our investor group.”
“He invested in the team last year and has become very passionate about the team from both a competitive and business perspective. He’s furthered his involvement to help us move our vision for the team forward. Plus, he’s a really good guy!” McPhilliamy said.
“Business is family to him and I’m pumped to have him leading our team.”
For much of the 2017 USL season, the Independence staged home matches at the Matthews Sportsplex, a facility located in nearby Matthews, NC. The club will return there in 2018.
Prior to its arrival in Matthews, the team had been connected to a plan for a renovation of Memorial Stadium into a 10,000-seat facility that could eventually be expanded to MLS standards. However, the focus shifted after Charlotte’s MLS expansion bid–led by Marcus Smith–called for tearing down Memorial Stadium and building a new venue on its site. MLS efforts have since stalled, and officials appear to be revisiting the idea of a Memorial Stadium renovation.
Image courtesy Charlotte Independence.