The much-anticipated Lynn Family Stadium saw its first home match July 12. The newly-built soccer-specific facility became one of the first in the nation to host fans for live sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While it didn’t see the 15,000+ fans it was capable of hosting, many applauded the team and facility for its management of 4850 fans (about 30% capacity) through extensive safety and health precautions.
The long-awaited home opener was originally scheduled for early April but postponed due to COVID-19. The USL suspended all play just weeks before the team’s planned debut.
The $65 million stadium in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood was completed in March and built by Messer Construction Co. and Harmon Construction. Despite record-breaking rainfalls and tight deadlines the Messer-Harmon team delivered the stadium ahead of schedule. The two-year project included more than 345,000 worker-hours between June 2018 and March 2020 with more than 1000 people working on the stadium.
Owners called Lynn Family Stadium a “cathedral for soccer” marking a significant step in Louisville’s quest to become a soccer city. The 11,600-seat stadium will be home to both Louisville City Football Club this year and the new National Women’s Soccer League team Racing Louisville Football Club when it launches in 2021.
