What to Know
- New York City is getting closer to having its first professional soccer stadium near Citi Field in Queens.
- Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. announced his recommendation to approve with conditions Phase II of the Willets Point redevelopment plan, which includes the new stadium.
- Phase II of the Willets Point redevelopment plan includes 1,400 units of affordable housing, a 25,000-seat soccer stadium to be used by Major League Soccer’s New York City Football Club, a 250-room hotel, 80,000 square feet of commercial retail space, nearly 3 acres of public open space and more.
There is good news for soccer lovers in the Big Apple.
The reason? Soon they may see the first professional soccer stadium in New York City, near Citi Fields. Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards Jr., recently announced his recommendation to approve, with conditions, Phase II of the Willets Point redevelopment plan, which includes the stadium.
The stadium, to be used by Major League Soccer’s New York City Football Club, will have 25,000 seats and is expected to be ready by 2027. It's also expected to be the first electric stadium in professional soccer. It won't be ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in parts of the United States.
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New York City Football Club of Major League Soccer currently plays its home games at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx.
The recommendation to approve the plan with conditions comes nearly a month after Richards held a public hearing to hear from and question the applicant team — the New York City Economic Development Corporation, New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and Queens Development Group — and get testimony from concerned residents.
Richards highlighted the importance of having this part of Queens, which was previously called the 'Valley of Ashes' because it was an industrial area, become a valuable space for the community.
“Through the decades, many plans have been imagined at Willets Point and only one has been approved,” Richards wrote in recommending it move forward. "I am proud to see the former ‘Valley of Ashes’ transform into better housing, schooling and open space, but I must see material and serious commitments to the surrounding communities of Corona, Flushing and East Elmhurst."
NYCFC will pay the full cost of the stadium, approximately $780 million.
What is included in Phase II?
Phase II of the Willets Point redevelopment plan includes 1,400 units of affordable housing, a 25,000-seat soccer stadium, a 250-room hotel, 80,000 square feet of commercial retail space, nearly 3 acres of public open space and more.
Specific conditions laid out in Richards’ recommendation include a written agreement from the development team that housing affordability levels in Phase II of the project be comparable to Phase I — which will stipulate a commitment to having more than half of the 1,400 units be available at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) — and a full list of community benefits the applicant team has pledged throughout the ULURP process.
What are the recommendations?
- Local hiring: Minority- and women-owned Businesses and area residents should make up at least 30 percent of contracts and hires, with the applicant team providing quarterly reports to the borough president, local councilmembers and area community boards. The applicant team should also work with the borough president and local councilmembers to determine a mutually agreeable set-aside for local street vendors and concessionaires within and surrounding the soccer stadium.
- Community partnerships: Discounted NYCFC match tickets for local residents.
- Area infrastructure improvements: The applicant team should work with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to identify areas in and around Flushing Meadows Corona Park that are in need of capital improvements, such as the Flushing Promenade, area sports fields and playgrounds.
Richardson also recommends that no NYCFC games be scheduled on days when either the New York Mets are playing a home game at Citi Field or when the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is in use, to avoid excess congestion.
Read more recommendations here.
“When I set foot in the City Council, the first thing I did was work to create a true path towards bringing affordable housing to Queens, and I’m grateful to have a supportive partner in government like Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who shares and supports these efforts,” said City Council Member Francisco Moya.
“Together, we’re making Queens better with the largest affordable housing project in 40 years, a new 650-seat elementary school, and the first privately financed electric stadium in NYC," Moya added. "This isn’t just about buildings; it’s about shaping our community’s future. It will help kids with education, boost our local economy, create jobs, and support our hardworking laborers who built this city."
