Detroit City Football Club has acquired the 5.7-acre site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital at the corner of Michigan Avenue and 20th Street to build a new soccer-specific stadium by 2027. A cost of the project was not provided.
The site, located six blocks west of Michigan Central, is bounded by Michigan Avenue, 20th Street, I-75, and a series of railroad tracks to the south. The stadium will be open air with natural grass, offer around 14,000 seats, and be used by both the men’s and women’s teams.
Detroit City FC games currently are played at the 7,933-seat Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, which opened in 1936. Since 2016, the club says it has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to small businesses in the city as well as fostering and advocating improvements to the recreational spaces around the community.
“This is a huge step for our organization to build a modern venue to serve our club and community,” says Sean Mann, CEO of Detroit City FC. “As longtime residents of the city, with a few of us even living within walking distance of the site, the leaders and founders of the club view this project not only as an opportunity to grow our organization and sport, but as a civic endeavor to give back to the city we love.
“We look forward to starting a process to connect with our supporters, city residents, and community leaders, among others, to craft a community-focused, grassroots professional soccer stadium that serves the city of Detroit.”
Southwest Detroit Hospital opened in 1973 as the first Detroit hospital to hire and accredit African American doctors and nurses, which was uncommon in the United States then. The original hospital existed for17 years. It closed in 1991 and declared bankruptcy. The building has been abandoned for 18 years.
“A DCFC home match is a can’t-miss stop for any true sports fan in the US, but our players, staff, and supporters deserve a stadium with modern amenities that retains the best elements of Keyworth while also putting the club on firmer financial footing,” says Alex Wright, co-owner and chief creative officer of Detroit City FC. “The city and the people of Hamtramck were there when we needed them. Investments by our club and supporters give proof of our gratitude, and we are excited to set forth on the challenge to make our forever home just as iconic.”
The club says it will reveal more details around the stadium vision and programming after further consultation with city officials, local residents, and fans. A public engagement process is anticipated to kick off later this year.
DCFC fields a men’s first team that participates in the USL Championship — the second highest level in the US men’s game; a women’s team that plays in the amateur USL W League, a youth academy, a statewide affiliation of youth clubs numbering more than 3,000 players, as well as an indoor soccer facility in downtown Detroit.
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com.
Editor: R.J. King
Associate Editor: Tim Keenan
