Today, I have some big news for you. Another billion-dollar industry is coming to Northwest Arkansas!
The USL Soccer League is coming to Northwest Arkansas and building a brand new stadium with a capacity of 5,000 spectators. The USL is an up-and-coming soccer league in the US, and they’re planting their flag here.
Why is this a big deal for Northwest Arkansas? Stick around, and I’ll tell you all the juicy details.
Soccer Coming to NWA?
A 5,000-person soccer stadium is being built in Rogers, Arkansas, on the east side of Pinnacle. The United Soccer League (USL) is an up-and-coming soccer league growing very quickly, so it makes sense that they’re coming to an area focused on growth.
So, this is the most well-known secret of NWA of a soccer league coming to the area, and as I was privy to some of the little-known information, I found out that the Hunt family will provide the land for the stadium.
I’ve also learned several new prime pieces of information that I will share with you in this post. An exciting aspect of the stadium is that they can use it for more than just soccer. Other events will more than likely be held in the stadium as well.
Another $1 Billion Industry
With the soccer league coming to Northwest Arkansas, we add another billion-dollar industry to the area. When I said this earlier in the intro, I referenced the many outdoor sports and event industries that have moved to the area recently, including the mountain biking industry, which has provided several jobs and tourist opportunities.
These include, but aren’t limited to:
- Trail building and maintenance
- Bike manufacturing
- Headquarters/office jobs
- Retail stores
The soccer league coming here can potentially bring just as much to the economy as the Mountain biking industry did. What I mean by that is that it will bring many other businesses to Northwest Arkansas, including retail, manufacturers, and several administration-type jobs.
The biking industry brought in many unrelated businesses, so I think the soccer league will do the same.
For example, while the trail system might have been in place before the mountain biking industry came here, it’s been upgraded and maintained. New trails are developed, college programs are developed around trail development and repair, and new products around mountain biking are made here in Northwest Arkansas.
So I think that the new stadium and soccer team will bring new stadiums, recreational facilities that include soccer, and other sports places.
Manufacturing new gear for soccer will become commonplace within a few years, and other related and unrelated businesses will move here to be a part of the USL. At least, those are my predictions. Will we reach $2 billion because of this event? I doubt it, but it will definitely bring new jobs, retail opportunities, and tourist opportunities to the area.
Affects Kids, Youth, and Adults In General
While it’s great that Northwest Arkansas is getting a stadium and the USL is coming here, what’s better is that the stadium isn’t going to just be for soccer. In fact, they made a recent announcement that they would use the stadium for all sporting events. This might include the following:
- Youth and Adult soccer leagues
- Frisbee golf
- Pickleball
- Perhaps football games
As you can see, the stadium will benefit everyone, from kids to adults.
Besides the sporting aspect, other businesses will be built around the stadium. It’s going to inspire other leagues to come to Northwest Arkansas. Already, we’ve had so many things happen in NWA, especially with the outdoor scene.
But yes, the reason this is such a big deal is that it will bring another huge benefit to the area for so many people.
More Sports and Events
The USL coming to Northwest Arkansas will bring other sports, events, and businesses centered around soccer, which will contribute to this being a billion-dollar industry for NWA.
If you weren’t aware, several international people move to NWA, so they’re always looking for things they enjoyed in their home countries. As Northwest Arkansas gains new international residents, the demand for non-American sports like Rugby and Cricket increases. So the United Soccer League saw this, which prompted them to plant their flag in Rogers, Arkansas.
But, this will bring several more international things to the area. For example, a new international sports bar is being built in Bentonville. The bar will show international games rather than the typical American sports like baseball and football.
The new soccer stadium will attract other international sports and events to the area. It will also attract more people and other businesses that want to take advantage of NWA’s growth and prosperity.
Let’s just say that word is getting out that Northwest Arkansas embraces everything international.
More Soccer Businesses
And finally, the last reason I believe this will be a billion-dollar industry for NWA is that there are so many businesses that are going to move here due to the soccer league. While I’ve stated this several times within this post, it bears repeating one more time. But let me elaborate on that.
Northwest Arkansas is a fast-budding area, and people in tune with the economy or the growth factor will recognize that the new stadium and soccer league will bring many more businesses to the area.
Here are many new soccer businesses that will pop up in response to this:
- T-shirt manufacturers
- Screen printers
- Vendors for various soccer merchandise
- Food trucks and vendors
- Ticket sales
- Sponsors putting on events
- Brand building
- New restaurants dedicated to soccer teams
This is only a sampling of what could come about due to the new stadium and soccer league coming to Northwest Arkansas. Several businesses see a lot of opportunity with this, and it will be interesting to watch as it develops.
Conclusion
Northwest Arkansas is becoming an international city, and with things like the new soccer stadium and the United Soccer League coming to the area, we’re definitely going in the right direction.
Perhaps you like soccer? Maybe you’re looking for a new place to live that caters to your love of soccer. No matter the reason, if you’re in the area, let me know, and we can talk more about this, and I can give you my $10 tour.
