Plans to put up a new and large soccer stadium in Arizona have taken an important step forward with the announcement that two architectural firms have been awarded the job of designing the facility.
The Phoenix Rising Football Club is hoping to secure a Major League Soccer franchise, and if it does, it will need to play in a soccer stadium up to the MLS’s standards.
The firms selected to design that facility are Gould Evans, which has offices in Phoenix, and the Kansas City-based Populous. Both firms have extensive experience in athletic facility and stadium design.
In a statement, Brett Johnson, co-chairman for Phoenix Rising, said the club needs to “build a stadium that will be comfortable for both the fans and players, so it was crucial that the winning architectural design team understood the challenges and opportunities associated with the Sonoran Desert.”
Although a specific construction date for the new stadium has not been finalized, Phoenix Rising officials have said that if it secures a MLS franchise, it would like to see work on the facility begin soon afterwards.
The team is currently playing in a 15-acre stadium near Scottsdale, regularly attracting up to 6,000 fans.
By Garry Boulard
