West End Stadium final seat design released

Article posted by Coliseum, May 28^th, 2020

Image: FC Cincinnati

The final seat design of the $250 million under construction West End Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio in US, has been released and the same was determined via fan vote and through feedback.

The soccer-specific West End Stadium is the future home of FC Cincinnati – a professional soccer team that plays in Major League Soccer (MLS), having entered the league as its 24th team in 2019.

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A press release issued by FC Cincinnati stated that fans chose the final east-side design from four choices last week, while the club added a late design based on fan response.

West End Stadium’s east side seating sections will feature the club’s ‘Gary’ winged lion logo in orange on a field of navy blue seats when the stadium opens in Spring 2021.

The release further stated that fan feedback during the voting process also led to an additional seating design decision announced by the club: FC Cincinnati has added the letters ‘FCC’ in orange seats across the mezzanine level of the south end zone.

The east-side design was determined by a week-long fan vote, which generated more than 5,000 entries between May 18 and May 22. Of those votes, 95 percent of fans who voted selected one of the two designs that featured Gary – with the winning navy-based design attributing for 55 percent of the total votes, the release added.

“We are thrilled to see our fans so overwhelmingly select a design with an orange Gary,” FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding said.

Jeff Berding, President, FC Cincinnati, US, is a Member of ‘Coliseum’s’ Strategic Committee.

“Since our MLS brand launch in November 2018, there has been a steady groundswell of organic support for the winged lion in our logo. Even his name originated from our supporters and fans – before our MLS logo was even formally released. The fact that they so unanimously favored designs with Gary means a lot to us as a club. When West End Stadium opens next spring, Gary will become an iconic symbol of our club and stadium around the world – and our supporters will have played a valuable role in the design,” Berding added.

“Additionally, we quickly saw how passionate our fans were about wanting the club name as a text element in the seats. The seating order for The Bailey was already completed, which prevents us from adding it there as many fans requested. However, we were able to adjust and incorporate F-C-C lettering into the south end zone seat design. When West End Stadium opens, our fans will have had a tremendous impact on what stadium visitors and the world see week-in and week-out,” the release further quoted Berding as saying.

Votes for the east-side seats originated from at least 14 different States during the five-day voting period.

FC Cincinnati’s West End Stadium is currently under construction, and the installation of the horizontal trusses to support the stadium’s 360-degree canopy roof began on May 14, the release added.

West End Stadium

West End Stadium is expected to be one of the most ambitious soccer-specific stadiums in not only North America, but the world. Critically acclaimed firm Populous designed an innovative and forward-thinking stadium that will be one of the largest soccer-specific facilities in MLS. The privately funded stadium will boast a capacity of 26,000, with the closest seats within 15 feet of the field. The design includes 53 traditional suites and 4,500 premium seats throughout four premium club spaces.

The team’s famous supporters’ section, The Bailey, will grow to be more than 3,100 strong and loom over opponents at a 34-degree angle at the stadium’s north end. A 360-degree canopy roof will cover every seat in the stadium, but still allow sufficient sun in to grow a natural grass field. The stadium will have five team locker rooms, including a comprehensive team suite for FC Cincinnati that features a dressing room, coach’s offices, lounge, equipment storage and the Mercy Health Center of Excellence for the team’s medical and gameday fitness needs.

The West End Stadium will meet all current requirements to host the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and FIFA events, featuring top national teams from around the world, including the U.S. Men’s and Women’s national teams, as well as the world’s top club teams for friendlies, the press communiqué informed.

FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati’s wide and diverse ownership group is led by controlling owner Carl H. Lindner III, as well as managing owners Meg Whitman, Scott Farmer, and George Joseph. Originally founded in 2015 by Lindner III and current President Jeff Berding, FC Cincinnati played in the second-division United Soccer League (USL) from 2016 to 2018 before moving to MLS.

The team currently plays its home games at the historic Nippert Stadium on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, the press communiqué concluded.

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