COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--Dignitaries from the city of Columbus, the state of Ohio, and Major League Soccer were on hand Thursday for the groundbreaking of the new Columbus Crew Stadium, in the Arena District.
Hundreds of fans also attended the event, with many leaving with a commemorative shovel to mark the occasion.
The 20-seat facility will anchor a new development, also featuring retail and office space, along with apartments.
The new stadium is expected to be completed by mid-2021.
The city of Columbus will invest over $100-million for infrastructure improvements, as well as redevelopment of Mapfre Stadium into a community sports park, once the Crew makes the move downtown. Mapfre Stadium would also be used as the Crew's training facility after the move.
Crew Owner Dee Haslam also announced that the family bought the property for the new stadium site for $30-million.