The ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Willard R. Stargel Stadium occurred Wednesday when FC Cincinnati Team President and General Manager Jeff Berding joined local education and community leaders, as well as members of the Stargel family, to kick start the stadium’s construction.
The new Stargel Stadium, which will be the third venue of that namesake, is expected to open in August.
Five local high schools, in addition to other teams and events, utilize the stadium. The former Stargel Stadium was torn down this winter as FC Cincinnati’s future West End Stadium is planned for the site.
Wednesday was the start of the new Stargel.
“My hope is the new Stargel Stadium can be the field of dreams for other students, who like me as a young boy, need the encouragement, confidence, strength and support a good coach and team sports can give you,” Berding said in a speech at the formal groundbreaking ceremony. “As I look at the students here today, and to all [Cincinnati Public Schools] students, I encourage you to look at Stargel as not just a playing field but as the place you can form your future.”
The new stadium, which is funded by $10 million from FC Cincinnati via a gift to Cincinnati Public Schools, will have a 3,000-seat capacity, mirroring the former Stargel Stadium.
The stadium is named after Willard Stargel, who is a member of the CPS Athletics Hall of Fame. Members of his family were present for Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
New Stargel Stadium will be located adjacent to Taft IT High School, where Wednesday’s groundbreaking was staged in gymnasium because of heavy rain. There, students and leaders turned soil — on a plastic sheet — to signal the beginning of New Stargel Stadium.
“To the coaches and athletic department, thank you all for all you do for our students,” Berding said. “FC Cincinnati will be your partner along the way, supporting youth soccer and CPS students and other ways too as we promised.”
