NWSL group faces pushback over public park space

• The plan is receiving pushback from neighbors who want public park redevelopment on the site.

Catch up quick: The city-owned parkland would become a training facility, with some fields designed for public use.

• The ownership group would include Crew owners Haslam Sports Group and Pete Edwards, along with Nationwide.
• Today, McCoy Park is largely field space used for recreational soccer, but the Dispatch reports that redevelopment planned for early 2027 included a playground, splash pad and other amenities.

What they're saying: Councilmember Nancy Day-Achauer said at last week's council meeting that she spoke to HSG "to try to get at least some portion of that park for the community" and was "absolutely shot down."

• "Not every kid wants to play soccer. … We should not be telling kids, 'Well, if you want soccer, we got you. But if you want anything else, you need anything else, you're out of luck.' This is what I keep hearing."

The other side: Mary Shepro, Crew president of business operations, tells Axios she believes "if we all want to coexist on that property, we can" but says she hasn't seen any firm redevelopment plans to commit to.

• "If there is a way to do a community park and the training facility at McCoy Park and solve whatever storm water retention issues we would have there, we're committed to doing it."

In a statement to Axios, Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker says the company is "committed to finding a path forward that preserves access to parks and green space for kids and families," but a Nationwide spokesperson was not able to specify what that might mean.