Full 90: Plans for new U.S. Soccer National Training Center revealed

U.S. Soccer has arrived. Here’s how I know:

Wednesday Sporting Kansas City, the reigning MLS champions, and Governor Sam Brownback, revealed plans to build a state-of-the-art U.S. Soccer National Training Center complex in Kansas City. The facility will be the new home for the National Training and Coaching Development Center, an elite athlete training and performance analytics center, and various national youth development programs.

Nicknamed, “Soccertown USA”, it only is fitting that this complex be located in Kansas City. Brownback believes this project will have the capability of providing $1 billion to the local economy over the course of the next 30 years, considering to new job creation, investments, and overall economic impact. 

The purpose of the National Training and Coaching Development Center is to become the focal-point for developing the future of American soccer, through grassroots. academy, and senior-level initiatives. Mimicking the facilities of European powerhouses, the facility will combine advanced metrics, education, and preparation to identify, develop, and generate elite homegrown talent, something U.S. Soccer has not been able to do consistently over the years. In addition, the complex will provide referee and coaching sessions.

The project is estimated to cost $75 million. The campus will include 100,000 square feet for a indoor facility, eight lighted professional smart fields, and eight youth fields. Other amenities include specialized strength and nutrition, sports science, health and wellness, and analytics facilities, not to mention at 125-room hotel.

This is a clear-cut commitment by Sporting Kansas City, the city of Kansas City, and United States Soccer to invest in the future of American soccer. Ideally the facility will be open by 2016 in time for the Copa America. While the World Cup may be over, America’s soccer kick has not ended.

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