Cleveland State University is in negotiations with the United Soccer League to redevelop the Wolstein Center.
The university would work with the league to tear down the Wolstein Center and replace it with a mixed-use facility.
Earlier this year, the university asked developers to submit ideas on what to do with the Wolstein Center:
RELATED: What should happen to CSU's Wolstein Center? Redevelop or demolish? University asks for ideas.
After reviewing multiple ideas, the Cleveland State University Board of Directors unanimously voted to move forward with the proposal from the soccer league.
“This project is about more than a new stadium. It’s about transforming our campus, creating opportunities for our University community and contributing to the revitalization of downtown Cleveland,” said Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State University. “The Wolstein Center has been a key part of our campus and the city for the past 35 years, and we will honor this legacy going forward. Our priority now is to continue providing our athletes, our entire basketball community, and the general public with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities.”
According to a press release from the university, the center will turn into an open-air stadium that could host men’s and women’s professional soccer, amateur sporting events, concerts, festivals, commencement ceremonies and community gatherings, driving year-round activity and tourism.
“As a proud alum of CSU Law and former resident of Downtown Cleveland, I know firsthand the passion this city has for sports,” said Justin Papadakis, Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer of the USL, the largest professional soccer organization in the United States. “This project has the potential to be a game-changer for Cleveland State and the entire region, creating a vibrant, community-focused hub that will drive economic growth, foster local pride and enhance the city’s reputation as a sports destination.”
USL Cleveland is working in partnership with the USL to bring professional soccer to Cleveland, the largest U.S. media market without a team.
“As lifelong Clevelanders, this project is a personal commitment to making Cleveland a top soccer market,” USL Cleveland cofounder Tim Junglas said. “We’re excited about its potential impact on Northeast Ohio.”
Construction is not expected to begin for at least two to three years.
Multiple professional soccer teams have been announced in Northeast Ohio, including most recently the announcement that a lower-league team that will play at the Lake Erie Crushers Stadium in Avon.
RELATED: Pro soccer coming to Lake Erie Crushers stadium
In April, the group working to bring pro women's soccer to Cleveland said the city had been awarded a WPSL Pro franchise that could start play in 2027.
The team is expected to play near Gateway:
