The United Soccer League (USL) could soon be dribbling into Roswell, as the city has entered the initial phase of talks to construct a new women's soccer stadium, accompanied by an entertainment district tailored to kick the economy into high gear. Roswell City Council turned heads with its unanimous yes vote on Monday to seal a letter of intent, which grants the USL a nine-month period to hash out the nitty-gritty details of this potential game-changer. The city could extend this negotiating period beyond December 31, if needed, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
Mayor Kurt Wilson is leaning into the opportunity with gusto, dubbing it an "unprecedented opportunity" for Roswell, "This is the beginning of what we hope will be a fruitful collaboration, filled with exciting possibilities for our city," Wilson spilled to FOX 5 Atlanta. The stakes are high and the play could net Roswell a professional women's soccer team within the Division One-sanctioned USL Super League, and a men’s team too, joining the ranks of the USL Championship.
While the city's bigwigs and the USL are in the preliminary rounds of this potential deal, the choice of location for the stadium and adjacent district remains undecided. The final whistle has yet to blow on the selection and financial planning, which are slated to be key player in the conversations moving forward, according to officials cited by 11Alive.
USL's Deputy CEO Justin Papadakis, himself a hometown hero hailing from Roswell, added his enthusiastic two cents, "Roswell has all the necessary components to host the premier USL Club, alongside a state-of-the-art stadium and entertainment district, spearheaded by a world-class professional women’s soccer team," as per FOX 5 Atlanta. Once built, the spectacle is expected to seat a cheering crowd of at least 10,000 fans, with the USL potentially playing the role of both the main tenant and the stadium operator or manager. Wilson and Papadakis are set to provide additional commentary on these plans, during a news conference scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m.
