COLUMBUS – The president and CEO of the Columbus Foundation is reportedly pitching a downtown site for a 21,000-seat soccer stadium aimed at keeping Crew SC in Columbus.
The proposal by Doug Kridler places the new stadium between N. 5th and 6th streets just north of Mount Vernon Avenue, near the BalletMet building, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
The site, just south of I-670, is a parking lot now owned by Abbott Manufacturing.
Kridler says the unveiling of his proposal was timed to correspond with Tuesday’s MLS playoff game at Mapfre Stadium between the Crew and Toronto FC and that he wants it to spark conversation and show local people — and national media — that the city isn’t giving up.
Owner Anthony Precourt says he is considering a move to Austin, Texas, after the 2018 season unless a new stadium is built closer to downtown.