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Officials to break ground for new Memorial Stadium

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A historic Elizabeth stadium is about to be upgraded.

Mecklenburg County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for the new Memorial Stadium, officially giving the green light to the $32 million makeover.

McPhilliamy

"This is a culmination of five years worth of work," McPhilliamy said. "It was ours, it wasn't ours, it was something else and now it's back to being home to us, and we're really looking forward to it."

After years of negotiations, county commissioners approved the final proposal in December 2017 allowing more than 10,000 spectators for sporting events.

"We spent a lot of years trying to really figure out what we want it to be," Mecklenburg County manager Dena Diorio said.

Leaders said it was about more than soccer -- it was about community and keeping the name to honor veterans in our area.

Demolition will start in late September. The project is expected to be completed in spring of 2021 and the stadium will be home to the Charlotte Independence soccer team.