Huntsville City Council approves lease for Nashville group to bring pro soccer to Joe Davis Stadium

It won’t be Major League Soccer, but don’t call Huntsville’s 2023 entry in the MLS NEXT Pro a minor league team.

While that comparison to the pro baseball system is inevitable, and the as-yet-named Huntsville team will be affiliated with MLS’s Nashville Soccer Club, there’s a difference.

City Administrator John Hamilton explained the dynamics at Thursday night’s regular council meeting when that body approved a measure unanimously to allow Mayor Tommy Battle to enter into a lease agreement with NSH NEXTCO LLC to lease a repurposed Joe Stadium Stadium for multi-use.

“Soccer doesn’t use the term minor league,’’ City Administrator John Hamilon said.”People will say, ‘Yeah, we’re getting a minor league team.’  That is analogous, but that’s not the correct terminology. This will be a Division III level club affiliated with Nashville SC. 

The Joe Davis Stadium renovation is expected to be completed in the middle of May. The league will have already started the 2023 season, but the league has agreed to schedule the team’s first games on the road.

In all, the squad will host 17 games. Naming rights to the field are an option, but the facility will keep the name Joe Davis Stadium.

According to the lease, NSH NEXTCO LLC will operate the stadium year round and will be required to invest in keeping the facility in good condition and repair, normal wear and tear expected. 

The original lease is for 10 years with options up to 30 with the following base lease figures:

• Year 1 $500,000 
• Year 2 $7,500,000
• Years 3-7 $1,000,000
• Years 8-10 $1,250,000
• Years 11-15 option $1,250,000
• Years 16-20 Option $125,000,000
• Years 21-25 option $150,000,000
• Years 26-30 $150,000,000
  

The agreement allows for Huntsville City Schools rights to the stadium during football season with the option of negotiating additional dates.

The school system will not be charged to use the stadium. The city will receive part of the proceeds from any event with an admission charge over $10.

There is still space vacant east of the stadium that will not be under management by the Nashville group and is open for leasing. The parking lot will be dedicated when there’s an event, but will be shared by other John Hunt Park venues when the team isn’t playing.

One added amenity at the multi-purpose stadium is that the artificial turf can be repainted with corresponding lines and dimensions to accommodate the sport being played.

“On Friday night there’s a great high school football game, we’re out there watching Huntsville High or Grissom High or whatever it may be. And then Sunday afternoon you’re watching professional soccer on a field that is striped solely for soccer,’’ Hamilton said.

Hamilton said the Nashville group leading the pro-migration to Huntsville will staff a team to spearhead management of the stadium’s upkeep as well as coordinate other events for the city.

The team name, colors and branding will be announced at a later date.

The league, considered a pathway to rise to the top levels of the sport, launched earlier this year with teams in the U.S. and Canada. The 21 original league entrants include teams in Chicago, Cincinnati, Colorado, North Texas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami,  Dallas, Miami, Minnesota, New England, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Rochester, San Jose, Tacoma, St. Louis, Toronto and Vancouver.

All but the independent Rochester club are affiliated with MLS teams, which try to join with programs in the same region.

The Nashville soccer team plays in the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada – GEODIS Park – and opened it in 2021 in front of a sellout crowd of 30,109.

To learn more about the city’s contract, and the operation commitments of Nashville NEXTCO LLC, the lease is listed on the agenda for the July 14 meeting at huntsvilleal.gov/government/city-council/

Cover image provided by Chapman Sission Architects.