A sports complex in King of Prussia? Here’s why Upper Merion says it makes sense
The venue proposed could accommodate over 7,500 spectators for sporting events, concerts, and more.
Upper Merion Township wants to build a sports and entertainment venue in King of Prussia, and has been looking to get state funding for the project.
The facility, which as proposed could host over 7,500 people, could be used by professional soccer and baseball teams as well as for concerts, festivals, graduations, and other community gatherings, according to a grant application seeking funding from the state.
“There is still extensive preliminary work that needs to be discussed and developed,” Tina Garzillo, chair of the township’s board of supervisors, said via email on Monday, noting that “there is nothing definitive,” at this time about the project.
The venue has been envisioned for Moore Park area, near hotels, housing, the Valley Forge Casino Resort, and a Topgolf. The proposed address on a state grant application is 650 Park Ave., but Garzillo said that is only “only one of several identified possible sites.”
Garzillo did not say what teams could be expected to lease out the stadium, but the venue’s capacity is in the ballpark of other minor league baseball venues. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs play at Coca-Cola Park, which can host roughly 8,000 seated spectators, and the Brooklyn Cyclones play at Maimonides Park, which can seat roughly 7,000, with additional standing room.
“The facility will serve as a catalyst for converting a traditional office park into a vibrant mixed-use district,” the grant application notes. “This transformation is especially important in a post-COVID world, as communities adapt to new work patterns and the decline of single-use office environments.”
What would it cost?
The proposed project would cost an estimated $197 million, which the township wants to fund through state, township, and county dollars as well as private contributions.
The township applied for a $20 million grant through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, but the project was not selected in the latest round of funding.
The township is currently evaluating other funding options, Garzillo said, and does not currently have a new application in the works for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
The program receives hundreds of applications in each funding cycle, and the majority do not get awarded, said Rosie Lapowsky, a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office. Not receiving funding “is not a commentary on their value as projects or any potential future engagement from the state,” Lapowsky added.
The funding application to the state program noted that the project includes “walkable connections, shared parking, and high visibility along major regional highways, positioning it as an anchor for ongoing redevelopment of the area into a dynamic ‘live, work, play,’ destination.”
The development of the venue would create 3,196 jobs, according to the application. It does not specify what positions would be needed, and if some of those jobs would be temporary, for the construction of the site.
The venue is also expected to create revenue through taxes, naming rights, corporate sponsorships, and other branding deals, the application notes.
Those leading the project say they have been in touch with county and state elected officials as well as members of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, noting that “these discussions highlighted the project’s alignment with state priorities and its anticipated benefits to the Commonwealth, including economic growth and community impact.”
Upper Merion Township is interested in adding entertainment options to the area, said Garzillo, citing the success of nearby attractions such as Topgolf; the casino; Netflix House, which opened in November at King of Prussia Mall; and Dave & Buster’s.
As part of its effort to bring more entertainment options to the area, the township has changed the zoning language for the King of Prussia Mall to allow entertainment venues to occupy retail spaces, Garzillo noted.
The King of Prussia District, a nonprofit focused on economic development in the area, declined to comment on the project.
