St. Paul Soccer Stadium In Works

Owners of the Minnesota United MLS franchise have committed to building a 20,000-seat stadium in St. Paul. Construction on the $120 million soccer stadium is expected to begin next year with plans to open the facility in 2018, officials announced.

The news is a departure from previous efforts to build such a stadium in Minneapolis after the team failed to sway that city.

But in St. Paul, Minnesota United was apparently met with more enthusiasm by officials anxious for redevelopment of a 25-acre site currently used for bus storage. The site also happens to be located near a light-rail line and other mass transit, which team owners considered a benefit.

Plans for the construction note the stadium will be publicly owned with a private tenant as its main occupant. Before the privately financed project can get under way, officials are waiting on the legislature to lift sales taxes on stadium construction materials and make the building free from property taxes. Gov. Mark Dayton has also said he would support legislation to enact tax breaks for the stadium.