The Detroit City Football Club has acquired the 5.7-acre site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital at the corner of Michigan Avenue and 20th Street to build a new soccer-specific stadium by 2027. No cost was provided for the project.
The site is six blocks west of central Michigan, bounded by Michigan Avenue, 20th Street, Interstate 75 and a series of railroad tracks to the south. The stadium is an outdoor, natural grass stadium with approximately 14,000 seats and will be used by both the men's and women's teams.
Detroit City FC games are currently played at the 7,933-seat Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, which opened in 1936. Since 2016, the club says it has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and raised millions of dollars for small businesses and talent development in the city. and advocate for improvements to recreational spaces around the community.
“This is a major step for our organization as we build a modern venue to serve our club and community,” said Sean Mann, CEO of Detroit City FC. “Having lived in the city for many years, and some of us living within walking distance of the site, the leaders and founders of the club see this project as an opportunity to grow our organization and our sport. But let's also give back to the city we love.
“We look forward to beginning the process of connecting with supporters, city residents, community leaders and others to build a community-focused, grassroots professional soccer stadium that will serve the city of Detroit.”
Southwest Detroit Hospital opened in 1973 as the first Detroit hospital to employ and certify African American doctors and nurses, a rarity at the time in the United States. The original hospital existed for 17 years. It closed in 1991 and was declared bankrupt. The building had been abandoned for 18 years.
“For true American sports fans, DCFC's home matches are must-sees, but we want our players, staff and supporters to retain the best elements of Keyworth, but with state-of-the-art facilities that make our club even stronger. The financial foundations are in place for a stadium that deserves it,” said Alex Wright, co-owner and chief creative officer of Detroit City FC. “The city and people of Hamtramck have been there for us when we needed them. The investment by our club and supporters is a sign of our gratitude and will continue to make our forever home the same.” We are excited to take on the challenge of making it iconic.”
The club says it will reveal details about its vision and program for the stadium following further consultation with city authorities, local residents and fans. The public participation process is expected to begin later this year.
DCFC fields a men's first team that competes in the USL Championship, the second highest level of the U.S. men's game. A women's team that plays in the amateur USL W-League, a youth academy, a state-wide youth club with more than 3,000 players, and an indoor soccer facility in downtown Detroit.
Learn more about Detroit City FC here. detcityfc.com.