What's next for professional soccer in Dallas
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Atlético Dallas fans will soon have a dedicated bar for their team. Rendering: Courtesy of Atlético Dallas
Atlético Dallas plans to open a new headquarters near Fair Park, with a retail shop, restaurant, beer garden, sports bar and a soccer court.
Why it matters: City leaders believe the men's soccer team's move to Dallas will energize Fair Park while giving residents more reasons to visit the neighborhood.
Driving the news: Atlético Dallas will debut at the Cotton Bowl next year and open a 12,000-square-foot headquarters nearby, the team announced Friday.
- Dallas Trinity FC, a women's soccer team, also plays at the stadium.
The big picture: Atlético Dallas is part of the upstart United Soccer League, which is trying to become a top-tier soccer league by adding a promotion and relegation structure similar to England's Premier League.
- The league is a rival to the more established Major League Soccer, which includes the Frisco-based FC Dallas.
Catch up quick: Atlético Dallas, currently headquartered in Richardson, planned to build a roughly $71 million training facility and public soccer fields in Garland.
- But in September, the city pulled its support for the complex, saying it didn't believe the project would have enough of a return on taxpayer money.
The latest: On Friday, the city of Dallas announced that Atlético will open a headquarters and street soccer court just outside Fair Park.
- The team also plans to work with Dallas College to create new opportunities for college students.
Follow the money: Last year, the Dallas City Council approved a three-year lease for Atlético Dallas to play at the Cotton Bowl.
- Dallas officials have also offered the team up to $200,000 as part of an economic development grant to move its headquarters to Dallas, per a draft memo the team shared with Axios on Friday.
What they're saying: "This move is about much more than an office," Atlético Dallas chairman Matt Valentine said in a statement.
- "We're building a place that welcomes fans year-round and reflects our commitment to growing the game and giving back to the city that's embracing us," Valentine said.
What's next: Atlético Dallas plans to open its street soccer court before the FIFA World Cup begins in June.
- The team's sports bar will open later in the summer, the team says.