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Mayor Bowser Cuts the Ribbon on Audi Field

Monday, July 9, 2018
New 20,000-seat stadium and home of DC United opens in the Sports Capital

Mayor Muriel Bowser today joined DC United, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and other District officials to cut the ribbon on Audi Field, the new DC United soccer stadium at Buzzard Point in Ward 6. The 20,000-seat stadium is expected to attract one million new visitors annually and spur more than $1.6 billion in total economic activity over the life of the stadium.

“Today, we deliver the stadium our team, our fans, and our city deserve,” said Mayor Bowser. “Audi Field represents DC jobs for DC residents; it represents our commitment to building pathways to the middle class in neighborhoods across all eight wards; and it represents our status as the sports capital and a championship city. Welcome home and vamos United!”   

The state-of-the-art facility is a public-private partnership that will support more than 1,000 jobs, including 471 full-time jobs for DC residents. The project also supported more than $60 million in contracts committed to local CBEs.

The new stadium also includes state-of-the-art energy and water efficiency measures funded through a $25 million private clean energy financing deal, part of the District’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (DC PACE) program. The innovative green financing solution is the nation’s largest single PACE note issued to date, and the first issued for a stadium project.

“Today is the culmination of a citywide commitment to provide a world-class soccer stadium in Washington, DC,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner. “And it could not have been possible without the coordination and hard work of many District agencies and DC United to deliver the best for the team, the fans, and District residents.”

“On behalf of DC United’s General Partner Erick Thohir and myself, we are thrilled that this day has finally arrived,” said Jason Levien, DC United Managing General Partner and CEO. “The District of Columbia and Mayor Muriel Bowser have been invaluable to DC United in our pursuit to build a stadium in the heart of the city. Without their tireless efforts to support the construction of Audi Field, we wouldn’t be opening this amazing venue today. We can’t wait to welcome fans and the DC community to the new home for soccer in the District.”

Audi Field is located at 2nd, T, and R Streets and Potomac Avenue, SW, just two blocks from Nationals Park. The first game at Audi Field will be on Saturday, July 14, when DC United hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC.