Philadelphia and Detroit are currently among the largest cities without an MLS team that could support one, he says. Duggan believes Detroit's size should be able to support at least the MLS average attendance of 15,000 a game.
Duggan says he's spoken to representatives of the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit and land owners in Livonia, Ann Arbor and Washington Township about possible stadium locations. The group estimates the stadium, without any public funding, will cost about $45 million. The stadium would have 14 regular-season MLS games, plus special events such as World Cup qualifiers, women's international games, international exhibitions and Olympic qualifiers. Those games should average attendance of about 15,000.
Duggan, who with brother Dan owns the Saginaw-based Michigan Bucks soccer team of the Premier Development League, also is working with Roger Faulkner, chairman of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and chairman of the 1994 Michigan World Cup bid.
Matt Rossetti, president of Southfield-based Rossetti Architects, developed a rough design for an 18,000-seat stadium with 8,000 to 10,000 luxury seats under a canopy.
The stadium would require an up-front investment of about $30 million and another $10 million to start the MLS team. The balance of stadium costs could be covered by sponsorships, Duggan estimates.
A push for a new team here doesn't come without other challenges. Detroit has had at least three professional soccer teams, one outdoor and two indoor, and all have folded.
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