Yesterday’s announcement regarding the Charlotte FC headquarters locating to the Monroe Road corridor surprised many — including us. Because MoRA happens to have Charlotte FC’s number one fan as one of our board members, we decided to ask Corey Inscoe for his insights. (Disclaimer: Corey did not approve our use of the “number one fan” hyperbole. But we genuinely think he’s the best guy, and he is the biggest fan we know.)
Charlotte FC plans to build its world-class training facility and headquarters right in my backyard. Well, almost.
By Corey Inscoe
The team announced Tuesday it reached an agreement with Levine Properties to build the club’s permanent facility at 8600 McAlpine Park, near Charlotte Secondary School and just down the road from the Barn at MoRA. The team has been quietly practicing on fields in that location since June.
As a soccer fan, Charlotte FC season ticket holder, producer of the Mint City Soccer Show and McClintock Woods resident, I’m pumped.
Corey & Courtney Inscoe
I’ve been excited about this team since before it was announced – when it was just a rumor fueled by David Tepper’s offhand mentions in Carolina Panthers press conferences. I’ve loved seeing how the city has rallied around the team in its inaugural season, breaking an MLS attendance record in the home opener and continuing to be one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in MLS.
Community
Now I look forward to seeing how the team brings that energy to the Monroe Road corridor. As we learn more about the plans later this year, I hope to see the club fully engage with the community it’s moving into – a community with no shortage of soccer fans and youth soccer talent. (I can’t tell you how many times wearing CLTFC gear has started a conversation with a stranger at Rama Swim Club or Edge City Brewery.) And it sounds like the club plans to do just that.
“Staying in the heart of Charlotte allows increased access to our athletes and fields, which is a key factor in expanding our impact on the community,” President Joe LaBue said in a release. “The potential for a wide selection of private and public programming on our campus will play a significant role in the growth of the game.”
Welcome to the neighborhood, Charlotte FC.
Facility details:
- The site will include a privately financed 52,000+ square-foot facility with four fields.
- It will be home to the club’s first team, MLS NEXT Pro and academy teams.
- Renovations to the existing structure on the site will begin immediately and are expected to be completed in Spring 2023.
- It will also be headquarters to the club’s more than 110 employees.
- More information – including a name and renderings – will be presented this fall.
Need more Charlotte FC in your life? Check out the Mint City Soccer Show—hosted by David Gusler and Matt Swift and produced by Corey Inscoe—for the latest news and analysis, plus interviews with CLTFC players and experts.
Monroe Road Advocates (MoRA) is grassroots group of volunteers from Monroe Road neighborhoods, businesses, nonprofits, and schools. We’re connecting community in the corridor from Lupie’s/7th Street to NC-51.
