The Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer team and Wilmington-based WSFS Bank announced plans for the WSFS Bank Sportsplex, a year round 170,000 square foot, 32-acre sports and recreation complex in Chester, PA.
In addition, the $55-million project will bring the Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy to one campus alongside the first and second teams.
“This best-in-class facility will provide a singular home for our professional and academy teams while creating a premier destination for local youth groups to fall in love with sport. WSFS Bank Sportsplex will become a centerpiece of our club and community strategy and I could not be more proud to see this project come to fruition,” said Philadelphia Union Principal Owner Jay Sugarman.
WSFS Bank joined the project as naming rights partner as a part of its multi-year agreement announced in August. As a part of the deal, the project will be named WSFS Bank Sportsplex and WSFS Bank will donate 365 hours of field and facility usage to community organizations.
“The positive economic impact to Chester, a place where players can collaborate and prosper from the values of sports and a beautiful place where the community can host fun, safe events are just a few of the reasons we wanted to join the Union in bringing the WSFS Bank Sportsplex to Chester,” said Rodger Levenson, WSFS CEO. “We are proud of the legacy we are building together for the community and the region.”
32-acre complex
The sports complex will span 32 acres between Subaru Park and the Union Power Plant office building. The complex will include a 100,000 square foot indoor facility that will be available for community use and an adjacent 70,000 square foot support building that will house Philadelphia Union II (MLS NEXT Pro) as well as the Philadelphia Union Academy.
The indoor facilities will include a 125×75 yard turf field, two courts which are capable of hosting eight cross-width courts, a 20,000 square foot performance center with weight room and sprint track, locker rooms, and a café for athletes and guests. The indoor facility will be complemented by seven outdoor multi-sport fields including one championship grass field with spectator seating, two additional full-size grass fields, one youth-size grass field, and three full-size turf fields.
The project is estimated to have a total economic impact of $90 million over the first decade and provide 500,000 visits annually to the Chester waterfront. In addition to the economic impact, the Sportsplex will donate hundreds of additional hours in court and field time for community use and health and wellness programming, available to be used by Chester youth and local organizations.
The construction of WSFS Bank Sportsplex will also bring the Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy under one roof, furthering the commitment to youth development. Aspiring youth soccer players will have the opportunity to train and learn alongside Philadelphia Union and Union II professional players.
The school (YSC Academy) and the Philadelphia Union Academy will move to the Chester campus beginning in 2023. YSC Academy will be housed in a school inside the Union Power Plant.
Ties to Delaware developer as franchise grows in value
Groundbreaking on the WSFS Sportsplex is set to take place in Winter 2022/2023, with the outdoor fields in place by August 2023 and the indoor facilities to open June 2024.
The Philadelphia Union has Wilmington ties with the principals of Buccini/Pollin Group among the investors in soccer team and as a co-developer of the 18,500-seat Subaru Park soccer stadium. Buccini/Pollin went on to develop the $25 million Chase Fieldhouse on Wilmington’s Riverfront.
The complex is the home of the Delaware Bluecoats NBA G-League basketball team and affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Major League Soccer has been growing in popularity in recent years, with union also seeing growing success as a Major League Soccer team.
The Union is now valued at more than a half a billion dollars, nearly triple the figure in 2018. The two Los Angeles teams are each valued in the $900 million range, with D.C. United in the nation’s capital coming in at $700 million.
The WSFS complex and continuing wins could further boost the value of the team.
