Stadium plans unveiled for Saskatoon soccer team

Almost a year since the exclusive rights were awarded, the plans are starting to form for a professional soccer team to land in Saskatoon.

Details were unveiled around plans proposed by Living Sky Sports & Entertainment (LSSE) to build a stadium at Prairieland Park at Marquis Downs.

The building would house a franchise in the Canadian Premier League (CPL), which already has eight teams.

LSSE CEO and team owner Al Simpson says it was a no-brainer to invest in the CPL

“They’ve been able to establish a national footprint from Halifax to Vancouver Island. Now just stop and think: What other professional sports league has been able to do that? CFL? Nope. MLS? Nope. You haven’t seen it. (The CPL) has done it,” Simpson said with the league looking at other cities to expand including Kelowna and Windsor.

“We think the city of Saskatoon deserves it, we think the province of Saskatchewan deserves it,” Simpson added of why he invested in bringing a franchise to the province.

But he chose Saskatoon instead of a larger market because the city has an advantage.

“You guys are spoiled and you don’t even know it. You’ve got Circle Drive, you can get here in 10, 15 minutes from around the city,” Simpson said in reference to how easily accessible Prairieland Park is to the city and how quickly it connects to the downtown core.

The stadium would cost an estimated $28 million to build.

But it wouldn’t only be exclusive to soccer. The field and stadium would be able to accommodate cricket and rugby and be able to host other major events such as concerts.

Simpson says his group is being aggressive and would like to get shovels into the ground next spring.

There’s no word yet on when a franchise will be welcomed into the CPL, but the target date, for now, is 2024.