United Soccer League expansion team coming to North Side site proposed for Amazon's HQ2
Andy Gloor
Developer Sterling Bay has bought a United Soccer League expansion team to play in its planned sports and entertainment stadium along the Chicago River  with the goal of beginning play in the 2020 season   Sterling Bay Managing Principal Andy Gloor  said.
Sterling Bay and other investors will own and operate the USL team   Gloor  said.
 It  remains to be seen how the USL  a professional league one level below Major League Soccer  will fare in Chicago. But there is a passionate soccer fan base within the city  and many supporters of the sport have lamented the MLS Chicago Fireâs location in southwest suburban Bridgeview  as well as the teamâs struggle to stay relevant in a market that includes teams in each of the major sports.
âThere are a lot of cities that have two soccer teams â  Gloor  said. âNew York and Los Angeles have two MLS teams. They can co-exist in a city the size of Chicago.â
Specific details of the Skidmore  Owings & Merrill-designed stadium are still being fine-tuned  but the venue is expected to have a retractable roof and about 20 000 seats.  Gloor  said. A retractable roof will allow the stadium to be used for events year-round  potentially including international soccer matches  college football and basketball games  concerts and other events   Gloor  said.
Prospective office tenants have expressed interest in having entertainment on the campus   Gloor  said. âThe live-work-play aspect has to be there â  Gloor  said. âYou just canât build a suburban office complex there. Having the entertainment component is important.â
 Gloor  said there are no current plans for Chicagoâs USL team to have an MLS affiliation.
A name has not yet been chosen for the team and Sterling Bay plans to solicit suggestions from the public before choosing one. Sterling Bay plans to build the stadium regardless of what happens with Amazon or other prospective office tenants   Gloor  said.
Developer Sterling Bay has bought a United Soccer League expansion team to play in its planned sports and entertainment stadium along the Chicago River  with the goal of beginning play in the 2020 season    [TGT] said.
Sterling Bay and other investors will own and operate the USL team    [TGT] said.
 It  remains to be seen how the USL  a professional league one level below Major League Soccer  will fare in Chicago. But there is a passionate soccer fan base within the city  and many supporters of the sport have lamented the MLS Chicago Fireâs location in southwest suburban Bridgeview  as well as the teamâs struggle to stay relevant in a market that includes teams in each of the major sports.
âThere are a lot of cities that have two soccer teams â   [TGT] said. âNew York and Los Angeles have two MLS teams. They can co-exist in a city the size of Chicago.â
Specific details of the Skidmore  Owings & Merrill-designed stadium are still being fine-tuned  but the venue is expected to have a retractable roof and about 20 000 seats.   [TGT] said. A retractable roof will allow the stadium to be used for events year-round  potentially including international soccer matches  college football and basketball games  concerts and other events    [TGT] said.
Prospective office tenants have expressed interest in having entertainment on the campus    [TGT] said. âThe live-work-play aspect has to be there â   [TGT] said. âYou just canât build a suburban office complex there. Having the entertainment component is important.â
  [TGT]   said there are no current plans for Chicagoâs USL team to have an MLS affiliation.
A name has not yet been chosen for the team and Sterling Bay plans to solicit suggestions from the public before choosing one. Sterling Bay plans to build the stadium regardless of what happens with Amazon or other prospective office tenants    [TGT] said.