The Willets Point Phase II Redevelopment Plan, which includes New York City FC’s facility task next to Citi Field and is scheduled to open in 2027, was approved by the New York City Council.
In a vote of 47 to 1, the government largely approved the project.
Since Barclays Center opened in Brooklyn in 2012, this would be the second major league sports complex to be constructed in the area.
Design for NYCFC’s 25, 000- chair facility will be personally financed and is expected to cost$ 780 million. The team, which is co-owned by the New York Yankees and the home of Manchester City FC in England, now plays most of its household game at Yankee Stadium.
” Being a landlord does not allow you to control your own life, whether that’s fan experience or income channels”, NYCFC CEO Brad Sims said in an interview. We were unable to play our game between Yankee Stadium and Citi Field due to the new stadium’s ability to sell the stadium through naming privileges and kindness.

Sims claimed that the new structure will help the team increase ticket sales. He claimed that” Premium seats at a sports stadium are not the superior tickets to see soccer.” ” Best now, 80 % of our game income is coming from general furniture. I believe that 80 % or more of our income in the new stadium will be generated by prime seating or dining areas. It’s really a huge change there, and then also the sponsor possibilities are tremendous”.
In addition to the soccer- certain facility, the reconstruction task includes a new hotel, financial spaces, a school and around 2, 500 discounted apartments for the neighborhood.
” This once-in-a-generation task does make a group like no other in New York City, with exposure to all-priced housing, a brand-new public school, and New York City’s even soccer-specific stadium,” said council member Francisco Moya, who represents the Corona area where the project may be constructed.
The City Planning Commission unanimously approved the next phase of the project, which includes plenty of income-restricted housing products, a new open school, and the stadium, next month. Mayor Eric Adams ‘ approval is anticipated to become granted immediately, but the project however needs it.
Although the project has the backing of Adams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and committee member Moya, it faced opposition from small business owners who were forced to close their stores to make room for the design.
City officials task that once the project is complete, it will change the scenery and the city’s business, generating an estimated 1, 500 jobs.
( This has been updated with quotes from Brad Sims. )