901 FC Is Getting a New Stadium, But at What Cost?

901 FC is a Memphis USL Championship (United Soccer League) team, founded in 2018. They currently play at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis. They share the AutoZone Park with the Memphis Redbirds, a minor-league baseball team. There is a couple of issues with their current situation. First of all, the park was built for baseball and not for soccer. Secondly, the 901 FC do not want to share a stadium. For right now, this works, but it is not a permanent solution.

On October 18th, 2022, Memphis 901 FC and the City of Memphis announced plans to build a new 10,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Liberty Park. Odell Sports & Entertainment Studio, architects of multiple landmark stadiums, arenas, and sports complexes around the United States, is designing the project. This new home for the 901 FC is planned to open in time for the 2025 season.

However, there has been an issue that has arisen with this. “The City of Memphis does intend to demolish the Mid-South Coliseum in order to build a new soccer stadium for Memphis 901 FC,” stated an ABC 24/ article. The Coliseum Coalition, an organization thats goal to save and renovate the Coliseum, has spoken out against this plan. “We want you to understand why this building is important and want you to understand there is a plan for what this building could be used for,” said Coliseum Coalition supporter Corey Strong in a News Channel 3 interview. “I grew up here in Orange Mound. I was around when they built the coliseum. Saw it built. It’s got good bones and needs to be preserved,” said Gerald Boyd, another Coliseum Coalition supporter.

Mayor Strickland, the mayor of Memphis, commented saying, “We are renovating the football stadium, a youth sports complex. What you won’t hear from anyone who wants to keep the coliseum is a business plan that makes sense to operate the Mid-South Coliseum as is.”

The Mid-South Coliseum is full of history and has been a staple of Liberty Park for many years, but change is a good thing; the Coliseum is simply too old, and it will cost the same to fix it up as it would to build this new stadium. Adding this brand new stadium for the 901 FC will benefit the city of Memphis by giving it the ability to host outdoor concerts, large-scale events, other long-field sporting events, soccer academies, and so much more. Having this stadium will also allow for this team, and the league itself, to grow.