MINNESOTA THUNDER TO MOVE HOME FIELD TO BLAINE'S NATIONAL SPORTS CENTER
Track to be removed and playing surface moved 80 feet closer to the existing stands; all four sides enclosed to create intimate soccer venue
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Monday, May 12, 2008) - The Minnesota Thunder announced today that the team has signed an agreement with the National Sports Center (NSC) to help expand NSC Stadium at the complex in Blaine, where it will play its home games effective immediately. The next home game will be Saturday, May 24, at 7:35 p.m. against Miami.
For the past four years, the Thunder has played its home games at James Griffin Stadium at St. Paul's Central High School. After exploring all options to remain in St. Paul, the team made its decision to make an interim move to Blaine while continuing to work on plans to build a permanent Twin Cities soccer facility in an urban location.
"The people of St. Paul have been tremendously supportive of our team and our goal to bring premier level soccer to the community," said Dean Johnson, owner of the Minnesota Thunder. "We considered every possible option to stay at Griffin Stadium as we continue to improve the quality of the team and enhance the fan experience. Unfortunately, we could not find a solution that worked."
Work is already underway to remove the jogging track between the field and the seating area. Crews will then extend the playing field towards the main grandstand by approximately 80 feet. The other three sides of the venue will be enclosed with additional bleachers to create an intimate soccer atmosphere. The expansion project will also create new fan-related amenities and additional concession areas. When completed, the venue will be more comparable to other United Soccer Leagues (USL) facilities. The upgrades are scheduled to be complete by July 1, 2008. When completed, the facility will have the capacity to hold up to 12,000 fans with potential expansion to hold 20,000 fans.
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