MILWAUKEE — The 8,000-seat stadium proposed in the 'Iron District' redevelopment in Milwaukee will be home to a new soccer club with the USL Championship league.
Backers of the proposal, including Kacmarcik Enterprises, Milwaukee Pro Soccer, and the United Soccer League, made the announcement on Wednesday.
The USL is the second-highest tier of professional soccer in the United States, after Major League Soccer. The USL league includes 27 clubs, including in Detroit, Iowa and Pittsburgh in the Midwest.
The league's arrival in Milwaukee would be the first time an outdoor soccer franchise has operated in the city since 2002, when the Milwaukee Rampage dissolved. Rampage was part of the A-League at the time, which represented the second-highest tier of professional soccer in the U.S. at the time. USL described A-League as a precursor to the USL.
“In discussions with the developers for Iron District MKE and representatives from Milwaukee Pro Soccer, it’s clear that this group’s progressive and ambitious plans can have a transformative impact on an area of our city that needs this kind of investment,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement.
The team would move into the proposed Iron District stadium in 2025, officials said. Kacmarcik Enterprises owns the rights to the USL franchise, and their chairman, Jim Kacmarcik, said in a statement that “major cities have professional soccer clubs, and we’re proud to deliver that to Milwaukee – a premier sports city with a rich soccer culture that runs deep throughout our community."
The club has launched a website to find its new name. You can fill out their one-sheet on their website to tell them what you want in the club.
Backers announce plans for the Iron District redevelopment earlier this year. The $160 million project is to be located between 10th and North James Lovell streets on the south side of Michigan Street.
The proposal aims to include 99 affordable apartments in Michigan Street Commons, the 8,000-seat soccer stadium, a 140-room hotel and performance venue with a capacity of up to 3,500 people.
RELATED: Construction to begin on Iron District redevelopment in Milwaukee
Proponents hope the buildings are finished and open sometime in 2024.
The City of Milwaukee earmarked up to $1.8 million in tax incremental financing to help pay for the apartments.
The first heavy construction on the Iron District project began in September, including work on the soccer stadium and concert venue.
USL includes three professional leagues, two pre-professional leagues, a developmental academy system, and a youth network, according to a statement from organizers. The league consists of more than 200 teams, from youth to pro, across the United States.
Iron District MKE will also serve as the home for the Marquette University men’s and women’s soccer clubs and Marquette’s men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.
