Feb. 24, 2025 (NEW YORK) – Development of New York City’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium, Etihad Park, has begun, with Atwell supporting New York City Football Club (FC) by overseeing the quality program and providing essential testing, special inspection, and certification services required by the New York City Department of Buildings. This $780 million stadium is being privately financed by New York City FC and will serve as the Club’s future home. Alongside Citi Field and the US Tennis Association Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, it will further establish Willets Point, Queens as a premier sports hub. The facility will feature 25,000 seats; premium seating options; a 9,000-square-foot outdoor gathering area and bar dubbed the Supporters Porch; and an impressive seven-story entryway known as The Cube, as well as fan shops, diverse dining options, and scenic city views.
“At Atwell, we’re committed to ensuring quality and safety at every stage of construction,” said Phil Resciniti, Senior Director at Atwell. “Our comprehensive services will ensure that materials, processes, and construction meet the highest standards for quality and life safety. Our team’s expertise makes us well-positioned to deliver the high-quality work necessary for the safety of the fans, supporters, and residents who will visit the stadium for years to come, and we are very proud of our involvement and positive impact this stadium will have in the community.”
Effective quality program management and construction quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) are essential to ensuring the safety and stability of the stadium’s life safety systems. These systems include structural, fire protection, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, all of which are critical to safeguarding occupants and substantiating structural integrity. Atwell’s team is committed to verifying that each inspected system is constructed in strict compliance with the project’s design and specifications.
Quality program management not only enhances a project’s quality, functionality, and reliability, but is also essential for compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. This process encompasses testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services, involving the technical responsibility of all third-party inspections mandated by the City of New York.
As a testament to New York City FC’s commitment to sustainability, Etihad Park will be the first fully electric soccer stadium in Major League Soccer and the first fully electric professional sports stadium in New York City. The project’s sustainability plan includes solar panels installed on the roof, a water harvesting system below the field, and locally sourced materials—all of which will be tested and inspected by the Atwell team.
The stadium is a central element in the Willets Point Redevelopment, aimed at revitalizing the economic and social landscape of Willets Point, Queens. New York City FC, alongside Queens Development Group, is responsible for this transformational project, which includes 2,500 units of affordable housing units, a public school, a hotel, and 150,000 square feet of public open space. The project is expected to generate $6.1 billion in economic activity and thousands of jobs.
Etihad Park, the future home of New York City FC’s First Team, is scheduled to open at the start of the 2027 soccer season.
Atwell, LLC is a national consulting, engineering, and construction services firm with more than 1,700 professionals located across the country. Creating innovative solutions for clients in industries such as real estate and land development, power and renewable energy, oil and gas, and transportation and infrastructure, Atwell provides comprehensive turnkey services including land and right-of-way support, planning, landscape architecture, engineering, land surveying, environmental compliance and permitting, natural resources consulting, construction, project and program management, and testing, inspection and certification services.
