New renderings have been revealed for Etihad Park, the proposed home stadium for Major League Soccer’s New York City Football Club at 126-87 Willets Point Boulevard in Willets Point, Queens. Designed by HOK, the 24,851-seat venue would be the first fully electric stadium in New York City and in MLS history, and would stand as the centerpiece of a 23-acre redevelopment plan along with a new 650-seat public school, a hotel, and more than 150,000 square feet of public open space. The project site is bound by 127th Street to the northeast, 35th Avenue to the northwest, Willets Point Boulevard to the southeast, and Seaver Way and Citi Field to the southwest.
The renderings showcase the stadium’s position within the sporting complex and the beveled, LED-covered entryway to the venue at the corner along Seaver Way, as well as previews of the facility’s interior.
Etihad Park. Designed by HOK.
Etihad Park. Designed by HOK.
Etihad Park. Designed by HOK.
The stadium is planned to include 3,436 supporters section seats, 64 seats at pitch-side lounges, and 287 ADA-accessible and companion seats. The facility will also feature 14 bars, seven beer markets, 16 single-unit bathrooms, 18 women’s bathrooms, and 17 men’s bathrooms. Additional design components include eight pitchside lounges, 23 lower-level suites, nine upper-level suites, and two “Mini Clubs” on the upper level. The Lower Suite Level will also feature the Chairman’s Suite, located midfield suite with a private bar, bathrooms, and a phone booth.
“This is a historic announcement for New York City FC, Etihad Airways, and New York City,” said Brad Sims, New York City FC’s CEO. “Etihad Airways has been a fantastic partner to the club for over a decade, and we are proud to call Etihad Park the home of our great club.”
The renderings were revealed on Thursday alongside the announcement of the $20 million, 20-year naming rights agreement between Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and NYCFC, which has partnered with the Middle Eastern airline brand since 2014. Etihad Airways is the front-of-shirt partner for NYCFC’s first team and boys academy, as well as a supporter of NYCFC’s community work through the club’s nonprofit foundation, City in the Community. The airline is also one of the primary partners of the New York City Soccer Initiative, a $3 million initiative launched in 2016 to create and maintain 50 mini-pitches across the city and expand free soccer programming for the next generation of New Yorkers.
“For over a decade, we’ve been investing in New York with a vision of building the city into one of the soccer capitals of the world,” Sims said. “Etihad Airways has been alongside us every step of the way and we’re thrilled to be making this announcement with them. Etihad Park will be the physical evidence of our deep and longstanding investment in New York City and will become a cathedral of soccer in the United States.”
The closest subway is the 7 train at the Mets-Willets Point station along Roosevelt Avenue to the south.
Etihad Park is expected to be built with 100 percent private financing and open before the 2027 MLS Season.
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The soccer stadium will join the other sports facilities in Flushing Meadows. It is certainly a welcome change over the decrepit auto repair district. However, the wisdom of the adjacent housing currently going up is questionable given the low elevation of the land next to Flushing Creek. It is curious that a large development on the higher ground of the Flushing side was rejected.
All Electric – That will put some load on the already overloaded electric supply
This is what keeps me up at night.
Private financing but a $500 million tax abatement.
Surprised at the low seating capacity. BMO stadium in LA seats 35K and Red Bull Arena in Neward seats 25K, so I would have thought this would be north of 30K. I guess they don’t see much potential?
Wahoo it’s finally coming to the city that never sleeps and we introduce an audience who’s time has come to attend some soccer games in NY