Crew President Tim Bezbatchenko is involved in the planning for a downtown stadium set to open in '21 and said that the club is "having calls on a weekly basis with the architect and the construction firm of the stadium," according to Jacob Myers of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. Appearing on a podcast with Columbus-based WBNS-FM's J.D. Smith and Brandon Beam, Bezbatchenko said that ideally, there will be a "roof on the stadium or some type of canopy, so fans stay mostly dry." He added, "It's all a factor of budget and costs and also the construction design. We wanted to make sure the stadium is one that reflects the city of Columbus and it gives the fans, and the supporters, and the Nordecke their own space and different space -- maybe -- than they currently have to cheer and to be loud and to create an environment that’s unique across not just soccer, but in MLS." Myers notes there "seems to be a commitment," starting with Crew co-Owners Dr. Pete Edwards and the Haslam family, that if there is a "move to be made that can make the Crew one of the top teams in the league for a long period, it will be made" (DISPATCH.com, 4/4).
