City Council approves design plan
Lancaster Municipal Stadium could be transformed into a soccer stadium for the purpose of staging professional and amateur men’s and women’s soccer competitions on a year-round basis as part of the United Soccer League, according to a proposed Lancaster Municipal Stadium Master Plan Design unanimously approved by the Lancaster City Council.
The council also unanimously adopted a resolution approving and authorizing City Manager Jason Caudle or his designee to sign an operating agreement with Antelope Valley Soccer Inc. for the stadium.
The city and AV Soccer will collaborate to bring professional soccer to the Antelope Valley in a renovated Lancaster Municipal Stadium. According to the operating agreement, AV Soccer would pay the city $65,000 a year in lease fees starting Jan. 1, 2025, with an annual consumer price index adjustment after year four of the lease.
AV Soccer shall have use of the stadium for all preseason games, regular season and postseason pre-professional and professional soccer games scheduled by the United Soccer League and/or AV Soccer’s USL-franchised team, the agreement said.
The proposed stadium master plan, prepared by architectural firm Odell, a LaBella Co., would cost an estimated $11 million. The proposed project would increase the total seat count from 4,495 to 5,291 seats. The plan calls for demolition of 1,830 west and south grandstand seats. There will be 758 new seats in a west extension and 632 new seats in a south extension. Both dugouts will be demolished to make room for new seating. There will be 936 new seats in the east stands and 300 new seats in the north “supporter” stands.
The proposed design includes a new concourse, beer garden, “Pitch Village,” a family zone and corner kick berm. The proposed project also includes the installation of a multipurpose synthetic turf field, additional restrooms and concessions. The stadium’s iconic FA-18 former NASA upper atmosphere research plane will remain, according to the master plan design renderings.
