Detroit City FC move on AlumniFi Field venue

Image: Detroit City FC

The Detroit City Council recently provided the USL Championship team – the Detroit City Football Club – with the necessary approvals to move forward on the development of AlumniFi Field at Michigan Avenue and 20^th Street in Southwest Detroit, US.

‘DBUSINESS’ stated that the planned 15,000-seat stadium project includes a 421-space parking deck and 76-unit apartment building of affordable housing at the site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital.

The Detroit City FC is an American professional soccer club based in Detroit, Michigan (US) that competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of professional Men’s soccer in the United States.

The Keyworth Stadium is a 7,933-seat multipurpose stadium located in Hamtramck, Michigan, an enclave of Detroit (US). It serves as the residence of the Detroit City FC.

‘DBUSINESS’ further stated that the Detroit City FC agreed to more than $2 million in financial contributions and other commitments over the next 12 years as part of the recently completed Neighborhood Advisory Council’s Community Benefits Agreement.

The incentives approved by the City Council and a State Board will provide development incentives the bulk of which would come from a $74.2 million brownfield tax capture (a financing tool) over the next 30 years to help underwrite demolition of the Southwest Detroit Hospital site clean-up as well as construction of a 421-car parking deck and a 76-unit apartment building of all affordable units.

The privately-owned stadium will be the only professional sports stadium to contribute to the City’s tax base from the very beginning, according to the team.
 
Highlights of the 12-year Community Benefits Agreement include:

• Contribute $100,000 per year ($1.2 million total) to organizations that specialize in safe, habitable homes, cultural programing and youth education programs chosen by the neighborhood Council;
• $200,000 low-interest loan fund to support small businesses;
• Retail space dedicated to a small business incubator for the Detroit entrepreneurs with pathways for the Detroit vendors to be concessionaires in the venue;
• Give first priority to job applicants in the surrounding zip codes;
• Establish a $17-an-hour minimum wage for all stadium employees;
• Provide 3,000 complimentary tickets to the residents each year;
• Create a mini-pitch soccer field for youth in the impact area and create a youth mentorship program for sports careers;
• $50,000 for cultural and artistic installations focused on the history of the area and the Southwest Hospital;
• Provide 76 affordable housing units reserved for the residents earning between 40-80 percent of the area median income;
• Create a traffic management plan that will be reviewed after three years, a plan to ensure safe entry and exit of fans plus an acoustics study to mitigate noise impacts;
• Provide an incentive for the visitors and the employees who use nonmotorized transit to access the stadium; and
• Improvements and beautification of the 20^th Street viaduct.

 
Stated Sean Mann, head honcho, Detroit City FC, “The unanimous City Council approval is a major milestone as we move ahead to build a professional venue to serve our club and community. As longtime residents of the City and the impact area 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. The Community Benefits Ordinance process allowed us to connect with our supporters, the City residents and the community leaders to ensure that we address the needs of the surrounding neighbors.”

A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a legally binding contract between a private developer and the community groups, negotiated to ensure large development projects provide tangible benefits (like local jobs, affordable housing, or infrastructure) to the surrounding neighborhood often in exchange for community support or non-opposition to the project.

Site preparations and abatement at the vacant Southwest Detroit Hospital site have already begun.

The club’s owners are working to have the new stadium ready for the 2027 United Soccer League season and ticket deposits are being taken now at alumnififield.com.

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