Queens Quickly: Innovation Queens, Willets Point Stadium............ 4

QUEENS QUICKLY

Willets Point to get soccer stadium

By Matthew Fischetti mfischetti@queensledger.com

Queens has hit its goal.

After years of pushing, the industrial neighborhood of Willet’s Point will possibly be getting its own soccer stadium to host the New York City Football Club, city officials announced on Wednesday.

The new development is a historic one: the new 25,000-seat soccer field will be 100% financed by the owner, add 2,500 units of 100-percent affordable housing and also features a 250-key hotel, according to the Mayor’s office. The project will also be built with 100 percent union labor and bring a new 650-seat elementary school to the area.

“Until today, Willets Point will no longer be an unsightly or a dumping ground. Which is why today I'm not just excited as a football fan. But more importantly, I'm excited as the New Yorker to announce a project like none other seen by this city, or any city in this nation,” said East Elmhurst Councilman Francisco Moya, who has been a long-time supporter of bringing a soccer team to New York City. “We are about to build a brand new neighborhood in the city of New York.”

In a follow-up interview, Moya emphasized that “bringing in the right partners” was instrumental to the projects’ success. The soccer expansion was on Moya’s list of major policy goals since he was in the new york state assembly in 2013.

“I think the future of what it means not just for the kids right now, that will one day, be playing soccer right now in the fields in Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, but one day will be able to , play professionally for their local home club,” Moya said.

While the stadium still has to go through the city rezoning policy, known as ULURP, the project has the support of Councilmember Moya. Traditionally, the City Council votes in accordance with the residing councilmember's decision regarding rezonings – a policy known as “member deference.” The new stadium is slated to open in 2027 and is projected to create $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 40 years, creating 1550 permanent jobs and 14,200 construction jobs, according to the Mayor’s office.

“The goal has always been to make Queens a true live, work and play community. And we just scored the most incredible goal you can imagine,” said Queen Beep Donovan Richards.

“And in a borough that historically hasn't gotten its fair share of affordable housing. We're going to build the city's largest 100% affordable development right here in 40 years in Queens County.,” he continued. “And in a borough, we call the world's borough, we're going to be the capital of the world's most populous sport.”

Local stakeholders have been pushing for development as early as 2018 with the Willets Point Task Force.

“As a strong advocate and longtime supporter of the redevelopment of Willets Point, and an original member of the Willets Point Task Force, we are thrilled with today’s once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity,” Thomas J. Grech, president and CEO of the Queen's Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. “This triple play of affordable housing, a state-of-the-art soccer stadium, and farreaching economic development makes this development a winner. We are proud of Mayor Adams and the efforts of his team to jumpstart this and get it done.”

“This was a blighted, underutilized and ignored piece of real estate in our city had little infrastructure and was prone to flooding,” Mayor Adams said. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a brand new neighborhood. I'm proud to share our vision here today.”