Atlanta United FC hopes to close on the site that will host its training facility by the end of next week, according to president Darren Eales.
Eales said they are choosing between three sites. One site is near Franklin Road in Marietta. The other two sites are unknown.
Eales said there are more than 20 factors, including size and financing, which will help them decide between the sites.
Though the club will begin play in 2017, Eales said they need to have the training facility constructed no later than Dec. 2016.
Eales said he would like to have 50 acres so that the first team and the developmental academy can train together with enough room remaining so that the community can use the available space.
Technical director Carlos Bocanegra said they hope to have the academy running by next summer. If the training facility isn’t complete, the academy will find a solution.
Eales said the team has no plans to affiliate with a USL side, as some MLS teams have done, as a way to develop inexperienced talent.
Ticket sales: Eales said the team is nearing 24,000 season-ticket pledges for the inaugural season. The total has increased by 2,000 in the two weeks between the logo unveiling and the Gold Cup.
