GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids city leaders have announced the naming rights for the new professional soccer stadium that will be constructed downtown, beginning next year.
One of the Grand Action 2.O co-chairs, Carol Van Andel, said at a ceremony at New Holland Brewing on Monday morning hat Amway has pledged a gift of $33 million dollars for the future Amway Stadium.
It will be built, beginning next year, on Lake Michigan Drive, just west of US-131 and just east of the David D. Hunting YMCA.
Plans for the $175 million stadium are being developed by Grand Action 2.0, a private economic development group. The stadium will have 8,500 seats and be part of a larger development that will include an 18-story mixed-use tower that that will feature restaurants, apartments and offices.
In the Aug. 6 primary election, nearly 54-percent of county voters voters approved a 3-percent increase in Kent County's tax on hotel and motel visits. The lodging use tax will increase to 8 percent from the current 5-percent at the beginning of 2025. The tax revenue approved by voters is for sports and entertainment projects in the county. Some of that funding also will be used to cover of the cost of the new Acrisure Amphitheater that is already under construction along Market Avenue south of Wealthy Street on the Grand River waterfront.
Our partners at WoodTV.com livestreamed the naming ceremony.
Here are more details from a news release issued on behalf of those involved in the project:
Grand Rapids, Mich. – Grand Action 2.0 announced today that Amway has pledged a lead gift of $33 million for design and construction of the professional soccer stadium planned for downtown Grand Rapids. With this gift, Amway secures naming rights for the 8,500-seat outdoor high-performing professional sports venue.
At an event hosted this afternoon at New Holland Brewing, Grand Action 2.0 Co-chairs Dick DeVos, Carol Van Andel and Tom Welch, along with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, outlined the project vision and lauded Amway.
“I am profoundly grateful to Amway, a global company so deeply committed to its home community that it is investing $33 million in what is essentially a gift to the community,” said Tom Welch, Co-Chair, Grand Action 2.0, and Region President, Fifth Third West Michigan. “I share the excitement that so many in our community have for the role the Amway Stadium will play as an anchor in the grand vision for one of the largest active downtown riverfront redevelopment projects in the country. That’s happening right here. Right now.”
The Amway Stadium will be designed as a multi-purpose, professional venue driving economic growth and development in a vital urban district. It will become the home of professional soccer in West Michigan and will serve as a broader community asset supporting youth, high school and collegiate clubs. It is expected to draw 17 national and international professional competitions, over 50 community-based tournaments and events, and 160,000 visitors to downtown Grand Rapids each season.
“For 65 years, Amway has been dedicated to investing in the people and success of our local community," said Amway CEO, Michael Nelson. "Transformative projects like the Amway Stadium are a testament to the pride we have in our hometown, and our commitment to shaping the growth of West Michigan and beyond for generations to come."
The Amway Stadium will be located at 230 Winter Ave. NW, just blocks west of the Grand River and within walking distance of the heart of downtown—expanding the collaborative community vision for a catalytic revitalization of the riverfront to Grand Rapids’ west side.
“This stadium is about building a stronger, more vibrant community,” said Bliss. “We’re talking about jobs, more active neighborhoods and new customers for our local shops, bars and restaurants. It will be a source of pride for the West Side and all of Grand Rapids. It will bring us together as fans, open opportunities for youth leagues, bring more excitement to our community, attract visitors and put us on the map as a serious sports city.”
Responding to community input on GR Forward, the Downtown Master Plan, and the Bridge South Plan, the stadium development will be the anchor in the broader district development adding to the vitality of the west side neighborhood, increasing foot traffic, and serving as a catalyst for more housing, commercial, retail and hospitality.
Over two years of construction and 30 years of operation, the stadium will drive creation of 330 new FTE jobs. In the same period, the stadium will generate $408 million in net new economic impact for the City of Grand Rapids.
Amway’s investment, combined with other philanthropic commitments, puts the Next Wave campaign over 80% toward its goal for private donations. Grand Action 2.0 has also secured the necessary approvals for public dollars to complete the project.
Executive architect, Progressive Companies, will finalize construction documents for the state-of-the art professional venue in January 2025. Rockford Construction, in a joint venture with AECOM Hunt, will lead construction management and is expected to break ground as early as spring 2025. The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, which will own and operate the facility, hopes to host the inaugural match in the spring of 2027.
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Photo: Photos via: Truscott Rossman.