Friday, April 10, 2015

National Training Center Given Final Approval

Yesterday, final approval was given to Sporting Club for the construction of a national education and training center in Kansas City, KS, right down the road from Sporting Park. The Unified Government Board of Commissioners voted unanimously yesterday to authorize the project which will occupy two sites just East of I-435 on the Western side of the city.

The plan, which uses STAR Bonds for construction has already had preliminary work on the land done. I discussed further in depth the land and the layout of the two sites in a blog post last month when Robb Heineman and representatives of Sporting Club went before a Neighborhood and Community Development Standing Committee meeting. My post then includes the layout of both areas and contains further information on how each area will be laid out.

Yesterday, Heineman mentioned that US Soccer signed a 20 year lease to utilize the facility. Heineman's expectation is that there will be national team coaches at the facility fairly regularly throughout the year, and with a fully climate controlled indoor facility it would allow for work during the winter as well. While Kansas City was already a bright target for drawing the national team, this certainly helps to make that target a little brighter.

The second site will help to fill the club's obligation of building youth fields in the county, something that was required of the club when they originally received the STAR Bonds to help build Sporting Park.

Overall, it's certainly another big step for the city in terms of the nickname the team has given KC as the Soccer Capital of America.

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