Metairie’s Shrine on Airline is on track for a major redo, with local leaders pushing a roughly $28.5 million overhaul that would turn the old ballpark into a soccer-ready, multiuse stadium built to lure a professional team. The clock is already ticking, with a target completion date of June 2027, up to $5 million advanced to the contractor to kick off demolition, and parish officials openly saying they want a long-term tenant, even as nearby residents ask for clear benefits and straight answers before the gates reopen.
Officials aim to land a tenant
According to FOX 8, Jefferson Parish leaders and the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District are already in early talks with a soccer club about making the Shrine on Airline its home once construction wraps. The station reports that the $28.5 million renovation is scheduled to finish by June 2027 and that up to $5 million has been advanced to Broadmoor Construction so demolition work can start. Renderings prepared by LaBella Architects are expected to be released Wednesday, according to the same reporting.
How the project is organized
As outlined by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, the LSED has approved a project development agreement with Jefferson Parish to shift the Shrine from a baseball venue to a multi-sports complex and to define how funding and operations will be governed. The district’s agenda materials also point to Broadmoor’s role under existing LSED contracts. Project manager CSRS notes that the work will cover field reconfiguration, drainage, lighting, parking and audiovisual upgrades, and that earlier phase budgets were estimated in the $17 million to $21 million range.
Where the money came from
Jefferson Parish has already put local money on the table. The parish council approved about $15 million for Shrine improvements in late 2023, according to WDSU. Officials have framed the work as part of a longer-term push to retool the stadium so it can host concerts, high school football and smaller professional franchises that would bring in sales-tax revenue and hospitality spending for the parish.
Neighbors want to be heard
Reactions in nearby neighborhoods are split, according to local coverage. One 11-year-old soccer fan told reporters he would be thrilled to see the sport get a bigger footprint in the metro area. Other residents focused on safety and equity. A Kenner resident said crime remains a top concern, and a Metairie neighbor questioned whether the renovation “will connect everyone or is just a means to get money,” as reported by FOX 8. Those comments highlight the political and community balancing act parish leaders will have to manage as construction moves forward.
What the site offers now
The Shrine site covers roughly 38 acres, and the venue’s website lists close to 10,000 fixed seats, 16 premium suites and extensive parking. Those existing assets make the property attractive for soccer, concerts and other rectangular-field sports, since organizers can adapt a built-out facility rather than start from the ground up.
Practical hurdles remain
Turning a former baseball park into a soccer-friendly stadium is not just a matter of swapping out the turf. It requires clear oversight, reliable funding and careful construction sequencing. The LSED documents lay out a basic framework for the project, yet many details about a future tenant and day-to-day operations remain to be negotiated. Industry observers note that the schedule, construction costs and neighborhood support will ultimately decide whether a professional club can sustainably call the Shrine home.
Renderings expected this week should offer the first detailed look at the renovation’s footprint and seating layout. Parish leaders say the real test will come later, when the upgraded venue has to prove it can attract a permanent tenant and a steady flow of events that make the public investment worthwhile.
