The life of a lower division team in any sport can be nomadic, moving from place to place, never truly feeling at home in any one venue. Detroit City FC has been living that life since it came into being in 2012, starting at Cass Tech and then moving to Hamtramck’s historic Keyworth Stadium. That will change in 2027 when they move into a new soccer specific stadium on Michigan Avenue in Southwest Detroit.
Last week the club announced it has acquired the land of the Southwest Detroit Hospital at the corner of Michigan Avenue and 20th St. The announcement sent shockwaves through the community. There was never this much excitement during the ill-fated attempt by billionaires Dan Gilbert and Tom Gores to take over the much-maligned jail project and put an MLS team in downtown. That group did all the wrong things for all the wrong reasons.
For its entire existence, the most commonly used word in the DCFC lexicon has been “community.” The club has put down roots in the City of Detroit, built youth programs that have spread throughout the region, established ties with local businesses, and even set up its own Detroit City Clubhouse for social events in the city. CEO Sean Mann and CCO Alex Wright, even live in Detroit, not far from where the new stadium will be built. This team walks the walk when they say they are Detroit through and through.
Speaking at an owners meeting earlier this week, Mann expressed his hopes for the new project saying “This site ties together Corktown, Mexicantown, and other local spots.” The location will be in a prime area for businesses in Mexicantown, especially bars and restaurants open on event days, to have crowds coming through the area to explore new hotspots or revisit old favorites. Wright declared, “We are building an asset for our neighborhood.” He emphasized “neighborhood”, like Mann repeatedly said “community.”
The club expects to move into its new home in time for the 2027 season. There are, of course, numerous hurdles to overcome before that. The biggest questions surround the financing aspect: who will be paying for it and how will it be paid for? Mann couldn’t go into many details at this early stage, but insisted that the club will not be going any elected body to ask for a handout, an indirect reference to what is happening in Indianapolis where there is a tug-of-war going on over money and building a new stadium.
Mann also suggested that some form of crowdfunding isn’t out of the question as the club looks for ways to have the owners who bought shares during the 2020 share offering be an integral part of the process.
Mann said, “We are finalizing plans to work with the City. Mayor Duggan has been very supportive.” The Duggan family has a history of involvement with soccer in Michigan. The mayor’s brother Dan Duggan has been part of the ownership of the now Flint City Bucks, who have played in a number of locations since 1996.
The team is not abandoning Keyworth Stadium just yet, though. Mann reminded everyone what a key role the old stadium has played in the club’s development. “Keyworth has been very special to us,” he said. “We will be playing there until the new stadium is open.” In the official press release Wright elaborated further, “A DCFC home match is a can’t-miss stop for any true sports fan in the US, but our players, staff, and supporters deserve a stadium with modern amenities that retains the best elements of Keyworth while also putting the club on firmer financial footing,” said Wright, “The city and the people of Hamtramck were there when we needed them. Investments by our club and supporters give proof of our gratitude, and we are excited to set forth on the challenge to make our forever home just as iconic.”
Detroit City has done things differently for a dozen years, so there is no reason to believe it will conform to any expectations now. “This is one of the most exceptional stories in American sports,” Mann emphasized as the meeting wound down. “The new stadium is going to be around for generations.” The fifty or so co-owners applauded enthusiastically and then broke into the popular “DC-FC” that rings around Keyworth during home matches. It’s a club of the people, by the people, and for the people to enjoy and cherish. The next three years will mark an incredible step forward for a club that has truly embedded itself into the fabric of the City of Detroit.
David Levine has been the El Central soccer columnist for over 30 years. He began playing the game as a young boy and has been a referee, youth coach, and well-traveled soccer aficionado in the Detroit area for nearly 50 years.
