Atlanta United, the city’s Major League Soccer club, and the City of Marietta have entered into a binding memorandum of understanding to build a state-of-the-art headquarters and training complex in the Franklin Road Corridor in Marietta. The project represents more than $50 million in new investment by Atlanta United to the area and approximately 80 high-paying jobs by 2017.
The 32 +/- acre site will include six soccer fields and will serve as the headquarters for Atlanta United players and staff. This is a wonderful development for Marietta and the Franklin Road area.
I’m ecstatic about this for many reasons. First off, Marietta is a much better place to house Atlanta United FC HQ than where they originally wanted in Dekalb County. Franklin Road is easy to access from I-75 and backroads like Cobb Pkwy and Delk Rd. Lastly, the Training Complex will serve Atlanta United’s first team, Youth Academy, and host various youth development programs and tournaments. This is a must-have in order to grow the sport locally and contribute to the USMNT’s (U.S. Men’s National Team) success nationally. As a country, we need more development on the youth level to churn out quality players and get a good mix of homegrown players in NASL, MLS, and overseas.
The addition of this practice facility in the Franklin Rd area has many positive benefits to it. AUFC have partnered with the City of Marietta to develop a joint use community park and bring multi-use fields to youth. The community can boast it plays the beautiful game within walking distance of their professional club’s training grounds.
With a brand new stadium currently in the works, a brand new practice facility, a youth academy, and heavy plans to be involved in the community, all of this progress is sure to grab the interest of some great players across our country and the world.
Planning for construction on the Atlanta United training complex is expected to begin immediately, with completion estimated by early 2017.
-Jon J.
About Atlanta United
Atlanta United brings Major League Soccer to the Southeast as the league’s 22nd franchise. The club’s avid fan base has set records in fan participation with 26,000 seats reserved to date for the 2017 inaugural season.
The first sports team to play in the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium currently under construction downtown, Atlanta United is owned by one of the city’s most influential businessmen and philanthropists, Arthur M. Blank, and is led by club President Darren Eales. For more information about Atlanta United, including how to become a Founding Member visit: www.atlutd.com and follow @ATLUTD
About the Marietta Redevelopment Bond
In November 2013, Citizens of the City of Marietta passed a $68 million Redevelopment Bond for Whitlock Avenue streetscape improvements ($4 million) and Franklin Gateway Redevelopment ($64 million). Franklin Road bond funds have been invested to purchase four aging apartment complexes on Franklin Road leading to new private investment and the creation of over 1,120 jobs in the corridor.
It’s great to see that there is so much investment going in to the training facility. Do you know if they are going to have a USL team before 2017?
We agree, only good things can come from investing in the community. Not sure about USL. Although, that would be cool if we had a team in 3 different levels of soccer in the city.