The city of Centennial may host a headquarters, training facility and temporary soccer stadium for Denver’s new National Women’s Soccer League team, according to documents presented to the Cherry Creek Board of Education this week.
The proposal could bring professional women’s soccer matches to the suburban city for several years, while also establishing permanent facilities for the team and a new athletics complex for the district.
In the long term, the team plans to build a new stadium and recreation district in Denver’s Baker neighborhood, but that won’t open until 2028. Now, the rest of the team’s plans are coming into view.
Parts of the project will be privately financed by the team, while the school district could contribute tens of millions of dollars to fund other portions.
The team is planning the following projects in Centennial, according to public records:
- A headquarters and training facility.
- A soccer stadium with temporary seating for up to 15,000 people and permanent seating for 4,000. The stadium is to include permanent facilities including locker rooms, restrooms, concessions, press box and lighting. The stadium could host the team while its permanent stadium is built in Denver.
- Two natural grass soccer fields and an artificial turf field that the NWSL team will use for training.
- Another complex of “at least” four more artificial turf fields which will be available for the school district to use for non-tackle sports.
The NWSL team is set to compete starting in March 2026 and is expected to play in the temporary stadium outlined in this project.
The proposal appeared on the school board’s agenda for a special meeting this Wednesday. The memorandum of understanding that will go before the school board would set parts of the project in motion.
All of the planned facilities would sit on a large undeveloped property at the intersection of South Potomac Street and East Fremont Avenue. It would stand just across the street from the Denver Broncos’ training facility, as well as Dove Valley Regional Park.
The city of Centennial owns the 43-acre property and would lease sections out separately to the school district and to the team. The leases will be for a “nominal,” or very low, cost.
The headquarters and training facility would be privately financed by the team. But other costs would be split between the team and the schools.
The district would contribute $15 million from its voter-approved 2024 bond measure to build the training fields and share-use fields, while the team would contribute money for design, construction and other development costs. The district has extra bond money available due to strong demand for the debt it issued, according to the board documents.
The district and the team would split the design, construction and development costs for the stadium, which is estimated to cost $20 million to $25 million.
The training ground will be available for Cherry Creek School District use. After the NWSL moves into its permanent stadium, the new stadium may be reconfigured by the district, with the team contributing costs. The team will be largely responsible for maintaining and operating the fields for 20 years, sharing the revenues with the school district.
The team will operate the stadium for at least two years, though it could also extend for up to five more years.
As per the memorandum of understanding, the NWSL team will donate $100,000 to the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation. The district will also receive 500 free tickets per season. The team will donate team merchandise and equipment for district fundraising events, and it will make staff and players available for student opportunities.
Denverite has reached out to the NWSL, Denver’s unnamed NWSL team, and Cherry Creek School District for comment but has not heard back from any party.
The city bought the land from the U.S. Postal Service in 2011 for $3.3 million, according to property records.
