albuquerque may see construction of new soccer stadium

A new soccer stadium, with a seating capacity of up to 18,000, may be in the offing for downtown Albuquerque.

The New Mexico United soccer team, which is based in Albuquerque and plays in the United Soccer League Championship, is reportedly in the process of reviewing sites for the possible construction of the facility.

According to team officials, those sites include everything from somewhere in the Sawmill District, to spaces off Mountain Road, Lomas Boulevard, and Lead Avenue, all the way to the Albuquerque Rail Yards.

The team, established in June of 2018, has been playing at the Isotopes Park, and regularly attracting up to 13,500 spectators per game.

According to the publication Soccer Stadium Digest, the Albuquerque team in the first 14 weeks of this year’s season has attracted around 90,000 spectators, making it the number one team in its league in terms of attendance.

But from the start, officials with New Mexico United have said that they want to have their own permanent facility in Albuquerque.

In an interview with Albuquerque Business First, team owner Peter Trevisani noted the large crowds attending the team’s matches, remarking, “our momentum is just beginning,” and adding that the fan response is an indication that a stadium is overdue.

How much a new stadium would cost remains unknown. But a study commissioned two years ago by the City of Albuquerque looking at building such a facility for the New Mexico Sol soccer team put the price at anywhere from $25 to $45 million for a 10,000-seat building.

By Garry Boulard

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