Midway Community Pins High Hopes On New Soccer Stadium
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- St. Paul city leaders and community members hope to see big changes now that a new soccer stadium is coming to town.
Minnesota United owners and the city hope the $120 million privately-funded stadium will revitalize one of the poorest areas of the city: Midway.
Business owners and Midway residents say have high hopes too, but the project won't come without growing pains.
Over the last 36 years, business owner Vic Masanz has seen a lot of changes in the neighborhood from behind the bar at Big V's Saloon along Snelling Avenue.
Masanz says the Green Line light rail system has brought more business to the area, but also more congestion.
The 18,000-seat stadium, which owners first wanted to build in Minneapolis, will now take the place of a vacant 10-acre bus lot near Snelling and University Aves.
"I think it'll make the area much better and bring more people in," Masanz said.
Building up Midway won't end at the Stadium doors; the city hopes to have a hand in rebuilding the privately-owned 25 acres surrounding the stadium site, where Midway Shopping Center now sits.
St. Paul resident Kevin Scott visits the Midway Shopping Center often. He has been living in Midway for almost one year.
"I hope it'll help the area gain more economic growth," Scott said.
City data shows St. Paul's unemployment rate is higher than the rest of the Metro and state. Poverty rates for minority groups are more than double that of white people in St. Paul, according to a St. Paul Market Watch Report from spring 2015.
Unemployment Rate (Spring 2015)
Minnesota -- 3.8%
Metro -- 3.9%
St. Paul -- 4.5%
Poverty Rates In St. Paul, Based On Ethnicity (2011-2013)
White -- 13.2%
Black -- 42.1%
American Indian -- 33.9%
Asian -- 34.4%
Hispanic or Latino -- 29.5%
(source: Bureau Labor Statistics and St. Paul Market Watch Report Spring 2015)
City leaders say building the stadium will immediately add construction jobs, though they don't know how many yet or what companies will oversee the project.
But as the neighborhood grows, so does concern about congestion.
"It could help, or it could make it a big mess as far as traffic," Scott said.
"It should draw a bunch of people in the area, and hopefully they want to eat and drink then go back on the train like they started," Masanz said.
The stadium is expected to be done by the 2018 pro soccer season. The city says it hopes many people will take the light rail to games, but wants to make sure plans are underway to figure out adequate parking.
