TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Sun FC women’s professional soccer team joined stakeholders Monday to launch more than $6 million in upgrades to the riverfront stadium in Downtown Tampa that will serve as the team’s first home.
The event came shortly after Friday’s announcement that the new USL Super League, the league Tampa Bay Sun FC will join, has been approved as a Division One league.
This means Tampa Bay’s new women’s soccer team will compete at the highest level in pro sports, with the same major league status as the NWSL, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA.
“Our goal is to create an unparalleled experience for our fans, while also fostering a sense of unity within our community. The upgraded stadium will serve as a beacon of excitement for soccer enthusiasts across Tampa Bay,” said Tampa Bay Sun FC President Christina Unkel.
Construction will start this week and be completed by August. A news release from the team said the project includes "fostering unique sports and learning opportunities for students at neighboring Blake High School."
The project will:
- Enhance seating areas, with some sections being completely rebuilt, to bring capacity from 1,800 to more than 5,000 fans
- Expand concessions areas for fans
- Add “fan zones” for family activities before each game
- Upgrade locker room facilities for players and coaches
- Include a new state-of-the-art scoreboard, with plans to reuse the stadium’s existing scoreboard at another school