Dignitaries and stakeholders gathered Monday at the site of the future MAPS 4 multipurpose stadium for a flag raising to proclaim professional soccer is returning to the city bigger and better than before.
“Our mission is to reimagine professional soccer and what it means for Oklahoma City, and we’re going to do that with this lovely stadium as the centerpiece,” said Court Jeske, partner at Echo Investment Capital and president of OKC for Soccer. “We believe that this flag raising will raise the visibility for this movement and what the future of soccer in Oklahoma City looks like.”
Two flags with one message declaring “OKC for Soccer” and “OKC es Fútbol” will take turns flying over the site visible from Interstate 40 throughout the course of the project, Jeske said.
The 9-acre property, which lies east of the OKC Convention Center and south of Bricktown, was donated to the city by the investment firm Echo. As the majority owner of OKC’s professional soccer club, Echo is driving the OKC for Soccer initiative and will operate the stadium, which will be the future home to both women’s and men’s teams.
“We’re going to deliver another world-class asset for OKC that brings vibrance to an untouched area of our downtown,” Jeske said.
The $71 million MAPS 4 multipurpose stadium is being designed to host multiple levels of soccer, other sporting events and concerts.
“But I think what we’re really celebrating today is pretty hyper-focused on one of the unique purposes of this stadium, and that of course is to maintain our relationship with the global sport of soccer or fútbol,” Mayor David Holt said. “We are making an investment to match what we see around the globe, we see around the country, and to make sure that we stay in this game.”