Daily Digs: Dallas FC's New $85M Stadium, VCU Breaks Ground on Athletic Village, and More!

Construction is progressing on a massive sports and entertainment district in Mansfield, and the public-private partnership behind the project could start work on its centerpiece stadium in a month or so.

The Mansfield Economic Development Corp., FC Dallas, High5 Entertainment and REV Entertainment broke ground in August on infrastructure for the Staybolt Street district. Eventually, the mixed-use district could feature a hotel and conference center, a High5 Entertainment venue, retail and single-family housing across 300 acres.

Additional details on the timeline of the project and other aspects of development have come to light recently in public filings and comments from officials.

Staybolt Street will bring new sales tax dollars, significant jobs and tourism to Mansfield, said Jason Moore, executive director of the Mansfield EDC.

The site will be anchored by a 7,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, which will be managed by FC Dallas and REV Entertainment. FC Dallas, the Hunt family-owned Major League Soccer team that plays home matches at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, will assist in design and construction of the stadium and will lead sports programming at the Mansfield facility, including youth soccer and international tournaments.

The complex will feature grandstand seating, a merchandise store and locker room facilities. Perkins & Will was tapped to serve as the design firm on the project.

Construction could begin in December on the 166,000-square-foot sports venue, estimated to cost $85 million, according to planning documents filed with the state. Moore said the construction start date for the city-owned facility is contingent on pending city council approval, possible in November, and that the private investment for the entire district is expected to exceed $1.5 billion. [WFAA]

Virginia Commonwealth University marked a major milestone on Wednesday with a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of its Athletic Village development, a 42-acre project that promises to be transformational for both VCU and the Richmond community.

Phase one of the project will feature an outdoor track and field stadium, which will seat approximately 1,500 fans and is expected to be ready for the spring 2026 season, and two practice fields – one with natural grass and one with synthetic grass. Later aspects of the project will include a tennis center with 12 outdoor courts and six indoor courts (phase two), a soccer stadium (phase three) and a multipurpose building with an indoor track (phase four).

The Athletic Village, which will be located off Hermitage Road in the city, will be built alongside Richmond’s planned Diamond District development that will feature a new baseball stadium. [VCU] 

Longview ISD gave consideration to the broader needs of the city when it included a natatorium in its $456.2 million bond proposal in May. 

Voters approved all five proposals that were part of the bond package, including $41.9 million for a natatorium to replace the district's aging aquatics center that comes with a high price tag for maintenance and repairs. The district has said the repairs cause frequent disruptions in the pool's use.

This past month, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Wayne Guidry recalled the decision to include the natatorium in the bond package as he addressed a joint meeting of the district's board and the Longview City Council. As construction planning begins, he said part of the board's discussions have returned to a review of what district leaders told voters about the project. [Longview News-Journal] 

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