The city of Baltimore is planning a feasibility study for a new soccer stadium..
The Southern Maryland Chronicle reported Wednesday that the three-member Board of Public Works approved the Maryland Stadium Authority’s request to approve a $25,000 allocation for preparing a market, economic, and site analysis for the potential venue.
Five locations in the Baltimore area will be part of a forthcoming study examining the feasibility of a new soccer stadium, although those locations haven't been specified yet.
DC Soccer LLC, which does business as DC United, also is involved.
Gary McGuigan, executive vice president of the stadium authority’s capital projects development group, told the Chronicle that DC United wants to bring a Division 3 MLS Next Pro Club team to the Baltimore metropolitan area.
"The ownership is up in the air," McGuigan said. "The operator would be DC United."
The Board of Public Works, comprised of three top-level state officials, voted unanimously in favor of the proposal and study, though different viewpoints were shared at the meeting.
“I know there’s been a lot of discussion about bringing a team to Baltimore and the stadium,” Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford said. “It’s good to see that this is moving. Thank you very much. Good job.”
Rutherford said he also believed the findings gleaned from the study would bring fruitful results.
“Location matters,” he said. “Modern sports arenas do build around them.”
While he did not cast an official vote in objection, state treasurer Dereck Davis questioned whether the study was necessary. Davis said he believed allocating time and money toward a study would be wasteful.
In April, the state Department of Commerce requested the stadium authority prepare the study for the potential multi-use venue.
In May, officials within the stadium authority subsequently agreed to undertake the study and fund up to $25,000. The agency provided official written notice of the planned study to the General Assembly in June, the Sentinel reported.
