D.C. United back Baltimore stadium plan with Carmelo Anthony investment

D.C. United have outlined plans to develop a new football campus in Baltimore built around a 12,000-seat stadium, a training pitch and a youth academy, with NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony joining the project as an investor and prospective women’s team owner.The proposal centres on the city-owned Carroll Park Golf Course site and would be designed to host a men’s MLS Next Pro affiliate alongside a women’s professional team expected to compete in the USL Super League, as Maryland lawmakers consider a funding package to support the development.Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott endorsed the project at Thursday’s announcement and positioned it as a long-term commitment rather than a one-off event.He said: “We’ve got a strong, passionate soccer fan base. We are proud to welcome D.C. United and professional soccer here to Baltimore next month, but more importantly, for the years to come.“We look forward to working with everyone to make sure that professional soccer has a home here in Baltimore.”D.C. United co-chair and chief executive Jason Levien said the club see Baltimore as both a fan market and a player-development base, with the proposed campus designed to combine elite pathways and professional teams on one site.He said: “We want to build the professional soccer foundation in Baltimore that’s going to lead to growth in the future.”Levien said the plan is intended to be delivered through a private-public partnership, with state-level proposals linked to bonds backed by sports wagering revenue. He also set out Anthony’s role in the women’s programme. “Carmelo is someone who loves soccer. He owned a soccer team in Puerto Rico. He’s from Baltimore.“He’s going to lead that effort on the development but also with the professional women’s team.”Under the current concept, the stadium would be expandable in the future, while the adjacent academy building would include classrooms, performance spaces and player facilities designed to anchor year-round activity beyond matchdays.The project would also extend D.C. United’s footprint beyond Washington, adding a Baltimore base to existing operations that already reach into the wider region.No construction timetable has been finalised publicly, but the legislative process in Maryland is expected to be a key early step in determining whether the proposal can move into a formal approvals and delivery phase.