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FC Cincinnati Stadium Construction On Track Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

FC Cincinnati's West End Stadium is still on track to be completed by spring 2021, despite the pandemic.

Team President Jeff Berding said the stadium is being built with COVID-19 safety measures in mind and believes the stadium's design will allow for a full opening next season.

Credit Cory Sharber / WVXU
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WVXU
Senior VP for Sales Jeff Smith (left) and FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding (right) speak to the media at West End Stadium on Sept. 14, 2020.

"Certainly, we're going to stay in touch as we have been with public health authorities as we continue to come together as a country to overcome the pandemic," Berding said.

Berding thanked Turner Construction for managing the project during the pandemic. He said the construction workers want to work, and to do so, they must be safe and follow public health guidelines.

He said the project hasn't been delayed by employees getting sick.

"We've had a few supply chain disruptions, none that were so significant that we couldn't overcome them, and we've stayed on schedule for next spring," Berding said.

At least 450 workers were on the site Monday.

Stadium Features

The stadium will have paperless ticket entry and touchless bathrooms to combat the virus. The stadium will seat 26,000 people.

Berding said all of the seats from the front row to the nosebleeds will be covered by the roof.

Credit Cory Sharber / WVXU
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WVXU
West End Stadium will include a scoreboard that's 150-feet across.

The scoreboards have also been installed, one of which, Berding said, is the widest scoreboard in a soccer-specific stadium in the U.S., at 150-feet across. It's located behind the supporter's section, also known as "The Bailey."

The field will include natural grass, which will be planted later this year.

Season ticket deposits starting at $50 will end Oct. 16.

Cory Sharber attended Murray State University majoring in journalism and political science and comes to Cincinnati Public Radio from NPR Member station WKMS.