STATESBORO, Ga., (WSAV)- People in Statesboro can expect to see a new stadium in the near future.
That’s because local soccer club Tormenta FC  broke ground Wednesday on the project.

As the shovels went into the ground and picked up dirt this signified the beginning to construction on Tormenta FC’s new stadium. It’s expected to hold 5,300 people. 

Tormenta president and owner Darin Van Tassell said this is a big deal for sports in Statesboro and Southeast Georgia. 

 “It’s Statesboro’s first professional soccer team and the only professional team outside of metro
Atlanta, but it’s also going to be the home of Georgia Southern men’s and women’s division one NCAA soccer teams,“ Van Tassell said. 

He also said the groundbreaking means bringing more economic opportunity to the area because other projects will break ground around the stadium totaling around 160 million dollars

“It involves a large grocery store, there’s hotels, there’s other retail spaces. Across the street from where we’re standing here, there’ll be residential and mixed-use office space,“ Van Tassell explained. 

During the groundbreaking ceremony, he announced the grocery store chain will be a Publix. 

Steven Short, senior vice president for Us League One, the league Tormenta is in,  said this stadium will make Tormenta fans feel at home and will hopefully help the team gain more.

“ This is integral to an authentic environment. The fans can come in, have a stadium of their own, you play in a soccer-specific stadium. You can actually hear the drum beating and you can hear the fans cheering and marching in from the clubhouse to the stadium,“ Short said. 

Construction on the stadium is expected to be completed sometime in 2020.