DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit City Football Club is moving forward with its plans to transform the site of the abandoned Southwest Detroit Hospital into the city’s first soccer-specific stadium.
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DCFC CEO Sean Mann said demolition of the long-vacant hospital in Corktown is set to begin in July, marking the start of construction on a 15,000-seat stadium designed to serve as a community hub.
“We’ve approached this with an aggressive mindset,” Mann said.
The stadium is projected to open by the start of the 2027 season, which would mark the club’s 27th year.
Renderings released this week show plans for a modern stadium, on-site commercial space, and a parking structure with 685 spaces. The design aims to blend the new facility into the Corktown neighborhood, Mann said.
“Our goal is to build a stadium that is community-oriented,” he added.
WEB EXTRA: DCFC CEO & Co-Owner Sean Mann talks about plans to build new stadium
The project has been met with excitement from local residents and business owners, who hope the development will boost foot traffic and business in the area.
“I think it would be great for foot traffic, good for business,” said Shayne O’Keefe, owner of Metropolis Cycles.
For Mann, who lives in the area, the stadium project is personal.
“The opportunity to take one of the more blighted properties in this region and turn it into a positive is something that drives us,” he said.
The team plans to announce the stadium’s official name later this summer.
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