Major League Soccer has awarded the 2000 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup 2001 to Columbus. MLS commissioner Doug Logan made the announcement during ground-breaking ceremony for the club’s new stadium, scheduled to open in June, 1999, on the grounds of the Ohio Expo Center. The exact date and times of the 2000 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup 2001 will be announced at a later date. “It’s been a long process leading up to this day,” said Logan, “but the Crew fans in central Ohio deserve these two prestigious events.” The stadium will seat 22,500 and the facility’s intimacy and proximity to the field will make fans feel like they are a part of the game. At midfield, fans will be just 24 feet from the sideline, while only eight feet will separate Crew supporters from the field in the corners and 31 feet from the field on each end. “This soccer-specific stadium is a tremendous step forward in the growth of Major League Soccer,” Logan added. “The hard work and commitment of the Hunt family and Crew organization were the keys to making this all happen.” The sites for MLS Cup ’99 and MLS Cup 2000 are yet to be determined. “It is difficult to project two or three years in advance the number of out-of-town visitors who will attend these major soccer events, but we believe the demand will be strong,” Logan said. “Also, both games are scheduled to have national and international television broadcast exposure.” “The Columbus Crew have quickly become an integral and vital part of Ohio’s major league sports scene,” Ohio Lt. Governor Nancy Hollister commented on the new facility. “This stadium shows the long-term commitment that the Crew have for Ohio and Columbus. We are very happy that this stadium has become a reality.” Construction timetable: Complete the stadium field wall: September 15, 1998. Playing field installation complete: November 25, 1998. Main stadium grandstand seating started: December, 1998. 160-foot stadium lighting complete: End of March, 1999. First game in new stadium: June, 1999.