Feb. 21—HIGH POINT — The city estimates it will cost $6 million to renovate Truist Point stadium to accommodate a professional soccer team.

The City Council on Monday selected Greensboro-based Samet Corp. to oversee design and construction services for a project that will remove part of the stands in the right-field corner area, install new field turf and make other improvements for the new Carolina Core FC team, which begins play at the stadium in 2024.

The unanimous vote came without Councilman Britt Moore, who was absent.

Design work is already underway, and, once this is finished, the plan is to start construction around June 1, initially with the buildout of unfinished space under the stadium concourse to accommodate soccer locker rooms, said Assistant City Manager Eric Olmedo.

This phase, which will be done during the High Point Rockers baseball season without impacting the field of play or spectator areas, is expected to be complete by the end of August.

Once baseball season is over in October, the plan is to shift to the on-field phase of construction, Olmedo said.

This will entail removing about 300 seats from a portion of the first base grandstand that angles sharply toward the field in order to move the playing surface 20 feet closer to the seating area.

Also in this phase, the field's existing artificial turf will be replaced with a new surface that will meet color, pattern and playability standards for both baseball and soccer.

In addition, the city will replace or retrofit the stadium's netting system so that it can be raised for baseball and lowered for soccer.

The goal is to have the entire project finished by the end of February 2024, Olmedo said.

The council's action Monday appropriates $6 million for the project: $5.5 million for the estimated renovation costs and $500,000 for additional equipment, fixtures and required technology-related improvements.

The city plans to borrow the money for the project in the form of an installment loan.

Carolina Core FC will compete in MLS Next Pro, which is the developmental league for Major League Soccer, and will play 12 to 20 home games each year from spring to fall at the stadium.