Has COVID Delayed MLS Stadium Construction?

Concept art of the Sacramento MLS Stadium. Learn more about COVID's impact on construction.

Has COVID Delayed MLS Stadium Construction?

June 6, 2020 | By The Railyards


Sacramento's new MLS team is still on track to begin league play in 2022 in a new stadium in the East End District of the Sacramento Railyards development, according to Sacramento Republic officials.

When Will MLS Construction Begin?

Last month, Sacramento Republic FC officials stated their stadium construction project is still on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic halting non-essential construction in the region.

The 20,000-seat MLS stadium has been scheduled for a summer construction start, and "We're not changing our timeline right now," Ben Gumpert, president and COO of the Republic FC told the Sacramento Bee

"For now, we're going to keep pushing."

What's Inside the MLS Stadium

The 426,000 sq. ft. MLS stadium will have capacity for 20,000+ and include:

  • 30 suites
  • 3,660 premium seats
  • 600 standing-room-only spots
  • Roof terrace plaza

The stadium venue has been designed to host concerts, entertainment, and local, regional, and national sporting events.

While the coronavirus pandemic appears to have not stopped or slowed construction so far, it has lead Republic FC officials to consider ways to make the stadium experience more sanitary, like an app for touchless concession payments and altering some food stands to include pick-up stations, preventing workers who handle cash to also handle food.

"I would rather change things now than be in our stadium and say, 'I wish we had done that," Gumpert said.

HNTB Corp., lead-architect for the stadium, is no stranger to stadium design, with previous work including the San Francisco 49ers Santa Clara stadium and a 20,000-seat MLS stadium for Columbus Crew.

The coronavirus pandemic has left a swath of uncertainty in its wake, so it should come as no surprise that contingency plans are being considered in the event of delays for the stadium, which was green-lit last fall when MLS awarded Sacramento an expansion team with a 2022 start.

The $300-million stadium isn't the only project slated for a summer constructions start in the Railyards. A new courthouse, mixed-use residential, and commercial projects are also planned for The Railyards infill development, barring any unforeseen delays.

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