Pro soccer team coming to city

Sep. 8—HIGH POINT — A team that will be part of Major League Soccer's professional developmental league will play its home games at Truist Point stadium starting in spring 2024, according to city leaders and the team's owners.

A deal to secure an MLS Next Pro team for High Point is expected to be finalized soon, said Megan Oglesby, who leads the local ownership group as its principal investor.

The team will play about 20 regular-season games a year at the stadium from spring to fall, she said.

Its season will overlap with that of the High Point Rockers baseball team, who will remain as the stadium's primary tenant.

The city, which owns the stadium, will make several renovations to the facility, including alterations in the right-field corner area and the installation of new turf to accommodate a soccer field.

The City Council on Wednesday approved two agreements that commit the city to the improvements, which Oglesby said will be key factors in finalizing a deal for a team.

"Today's step was a huge step in that process, so we're there," she said, adding that specifics, including the team name, will be announced soon.

MLS Next Pro launched earlier this year with 21 teams, all but one of which is affiliated with an MLS club. The High Point team will be independent and have no affiliation with an MLS team, Oglesby said.

MLS Next Pro includes teams in New York City, Houston, Denver, St. Louis, Toronto, San Jose and Arlington, Texas. Rochester, New York, is the only currently unaffiliated team in the league.

Mayor Jay Wagner said the city does not yet have a cost estimate for the planned enhancements to the stadium, which must be done by March 1, 2024.

The stadium can host soccer games now, but the city will probably remove some of the stands in the right-field corner as part of a plan to shift the field closer to spectators, he said.

The agreements adopted Wednesday require the right-field sideline and corner seating to be reconfigured to allow enough space for soccer players and referees to move about safely during a game.

"It's about maximizing the use of the stadium for soccer and also for the fan experience," Wagner said. "This will also allow us to put more amenities in the left-field area during a (soccer) game, maybe a beer garden."

The agreements also require the city to replace the field's existing artificial surface with a new one that meets the standards of FIFA, professional soccer's governing body.

"As I understand it, one of the rules with FIFA is, you can't have any color on your field but green," Wagner said. "We're now examining how we're going to be able to do that, but be able to flip it back and have it look like a baseball field."

The agreements require the city to establish soccer locker rooms at the stadium and to temporarily withdraw baseball netting for soccer games.

The agreements don't require it, but the city is also considering building out the unfinished top floor of the catalyst club and adding a ticket booth and restrooms near the right field gate as part of the enhancements, Wagner said.

Oglesby, Matt Penley and Mark Penley will be the majority owners of the new team.

Other investors include Alex Moore and Ryan Burkett of Stratagon, a marketing agency with an office near the stadium, along with Mike Kren and David Bennett of Benchmade Ventures, which plans to develop a hotel at the Congdon Yards campus, as well as Melissa and Pablo Webster, and Leah and Chase Hazelwood.

Oglesby, who is executive director of the Earl and Kathryn Congdon Foundation in High Point, said the advent of the team will create at least 50 full-time jobs.

"By bringing the world's game to the Triad, we will create countless opportunities for those who want to access the sport and lift up the community both on and off the field," she said. "The Triad's soccer community has a rich history and a bright future. This is far more than a financial investment for our group. This will be a long-term investment into individuals and communities with untapped potential and a major driver of economic development in the region."

Wagner said the city's decision to design the three-year-old stadium to accommodate multiple sports is paying off and that Wednesday's announcement continues the robust growth in the area.

"This is a continuation of our vision for the stadium and for our downtown," he said.