DC United have been given the green light to proceed with the construction of a new soccer-specific 20,000-seater stadium in Washington, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. The DC council voted unanimously to approve the plans, which will involve the city paying US$140 million to buy and clear the land and the club's owners, led by Indonesian tycoon Erick Thohir, to fund the construction.
The new venue is scheduled to open in 2017. Until then, the Major League Soccer (MLS) team will continue to play at RFK Stadium.
The funding plan calls for around US$89 million to buy the plot of land where the stadium will be built, plus an additional US$46 million to clear the site and complete initial infrastructure work.
The new stadium is considered an essential component of the ownership group's plan to raise the profile of the club and turn it into a profit-making venture.
Thohir and business partner Jason Levein acquired DC United in July 2012.
