A section of land near Franklin Road in Marietta is being considered as the site for the training facility for Atlanta’s MLS franchise.
A spokeswoman for the Arthur M. Blank Foundation said the site is one of several being considered and at this stage in the evaluation process they would have no further comment. The MLS team will begin play in 2017. Its home will be the new stadium downtown.
Marietta has spent more than $25 million buying apartment complexes, with another purchase planned, which after they are razed will total more than 90 acres along Franklin Road, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. The purchases are being made to try to spark economic development in that area.
The stretch of Franklin Road the purchases are being made is just a few miles away from what will be the new home of the Braves near I-75.
Finding at least 50 acres of land for a training site has been MLS Atlanta President Darren Eales’ top priority. Eales told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in March that the training site needs to be constructed no later than Dec. 2016 and that he preferred a site in or near metro Atlanta.
Eales said he wants enough land to build a facility that can house the first team and the youth academy, with enough space for fields that can be used by the community. He estimated to accomplish that would require 15 soccer fields. A site that could house just the first team and youth academy could be accomplished in 12-15 acres.
The team revealed earlier this week that it will unveil its name and logo on July 7.
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