STATESBORO, Ga. (WSAV) — Professional soccer is about to look a whole lot different in Statesboro.

Tormenta Football Club has its new venue under construction with plans to have players on the pitch this calendar year.

WSAV spoke with an investment group who said the construction of the stadium alone will approximately bring in $60 million in economic activity for the county. It’s been a long process in the works since before the covid pandemic.

“So we got our public infrastructure going as we were just getting ready to begin moving on the first phases of the stadium, COVID happens,” said Darin Van Tassell with Tormenta FC.

The pandemic brought along some uncertainty.

“Holy cow, how are we going to do this,” Van Tassell said.

That’s when Enhanced Capital — an impact investment firm that focuses on the funding of overlooked projects — stepped in.

“And so when we see projects like this that have great community impact, create 400 construction jobs, $60 million of you know added economic value to the community. It’s just really, I think, radically change the southside of Statesboro,” said Ian McCully, the director of Enhanced Capital.

Phase one of construction includes lighting, scoreboards and installation of 2,400 seats, but the club said it’s more about making a destination instead of a stadium and that’s what’s planned for phase two.

“We’re going to have a great place to play but it’ll also be a restaurant,” Van Tassell said. “It’ll be craft brewery, part of that. It will have a music venue 3rd and 4th floor, retail, pieces that will be their offices that will come.”

“Stadiums have to be destination parts.”

There’s no set timetable for the completion of phase two, however, the club expects to have matches on the new field in a few months.