NYC FC has purchased 17 acres of property in Orangeburg, N.Y., to "build a new training facility," according to Robert Brum of the Bergen RECORD. The club "plans to build a 25,000-square-foot complex" including 1 1/2 soccer pitches, offices, a gym and parking. Approval for building on the site, which has been "vacant for more than a decade, was given in July by the Orangeburg Planning Board, but NYCFC still requires permits." NYC FC will "pay the town for road and infrastructure improvements." The club said that work "could begin this fall with the team moving in" for the start of the '18 MLS season. NYC FC Sporting Dir Claudio Reyna said that the facility will "not be open for use by the community, but the club will host open training sessions and practices where youth players and coaches will be invited to observe." Brum notes NYC FC "previously had an agreement with Manhattanville College, but withdrew its proposal after opposition from local residents" (Bergen RECORD, 10/6). In N.Y., Andy Clayton notes a soccer-specific stadium within the five boroughs "remains at the top of the franchise's wish list." NYC FC, which plays home games at Yankee Stadium, has "struggled to find a suitable site for a stadium" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/6).
