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Norwich City Council has approved a lease for a soccer team at Dodd Stadium, allowing CT United F.C. to start playing there by February 2027. The stadium will continue to host the Norwich Sea Unicorns and various community events.
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Norwich just scored a goal for keeping pro sports in eastern Connecticut.
After holding an executive session discussion, the Norwich City Council authorized City Manager John Salomone to enter a lease agreement with Norwich Stadium Co., LLC. This decision, approved at the April 29 special meeting, will bring soccer to Dodd Stadium.
The CT United F.C. will begin playing at the Stadium by Feb. 2027, Norwich Community Development Corporation President Kevin Brown said.
The Norwich Sea Unicorns baseball team and other community events, like the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerceâs Healthy Living Festival and Relay for Life, will remain at the stadium, Norwich Mayor Swarnjit Singh said.
Fans leave Dodd Stadium after the Norwich Sea Unicorns game July 17.
The new lessee of Dodd Stadium is André Swanston, through the Norwich Stadium Co., LLC. The Norwich Stadium Co. will sublease Dodd Stadium to Norwich Athletic Co., who are the owners of the Sea Unicorns.
In the spring of 2025, City Council considered selling Dodd Stadium. While the Stadium had a long history of costing the city money, many residents support the Stadium, citing their personal appreciation for baseball and the quality of life value the Stadium brings.
During the City Council Meeting, Councilmember Shiela Hayes thanked the community of loyal Sea Unicorns fans for their advocacy.
âWe just have to believe in the opportunities,â she said.
Even though Councilmember Bill Nash had wanted to sell the stadium last year, heâs glad it's staying because it provides âreasonable entertainment at a reasonable price,â he said.
Nash also sees more growth potential for in sports at Dodd Stadium, as the World Cup and L.A. Olympics will bring more attention to soccer, and people who attend a soccer game at Dodd Stadum may return for a baseball game, and vice versa, he said.
The Norwich Stadium Co. will have its first lease from Jan. 1, 2027 to June 30, 2029. The lessee will also have three options to extend the lease for a duration of 1 to 10 years each, according to the City Council resolution, approved unanimously.
CT United F.C. is set to begin playing at Dodd Stadium by February 2027.
The Norwich Sea Unicorns baseball team and community events like the Healthy Living Festival and Relay for Life will continue at Dodd Stadium.
The Norwich City Council authorized City Manager John Salomone to enter the lease agreement with Norwich Stadium Co., LLC.
The lease approval is significant for maintaining professional sports in eastern Connecticut, enhancing local community engagement.

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The sublease to the Sea Unicorns will begin for its 2027 season, with an option for the 2028 season on terms acceptable to both parties, the resolution stated.
Financial information and other details are still being worked out, Brown said.
However, this lease is meant to help both the taxpayer and community member alike, Singh said.
Norwich Mayor Swarnjit Singh (right) gifted André Swanston, the new lessee of Dodd Stadium, a plaque with a picture of the Stadium, stating "Let's take Dodd Stadium to its full potential."
This new lease will help Norwich bring tourism back to the region, along with benefiting business and helping turn Dodd Stadium into a multi-use asset, Singh said.
"Even during my campaign, I always highlighted the stadium as an asset," he said. "I always said we should transform this stadium, and with the grace of God, it's happening now."
President Pro Tempore Joe DeLucia was also glad the city found a real investment partner, not someone who was just trying to take from the city, he said.
âThe pendulum is swinging. Individual entities and groups that are looking to make an investment in a city thatâs ripe for investment are coming to the table with a plan,â DeLucia said.
CT United FC is also coming to Norwich and eastern Connecticut at a crucial time, as the Connecticut Sun will soon leave its current home at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Singh said.
Swanston describes himself as a âserial entrepreneur and investor." His company, Tru Optik, was acquired by TransUnion in 2020 for a nine-figure sum, which was one of the top ten largest exits for a Black American CEO, his website states.
From 2020-2023 Swanston served on the Connecticut Innovations Board of Directors. In 2023, Swanston established the Swanston Foundation, through which he manages his investments, ventures and philanthropy. In 2024, he acquired CT United F.C., a Major League Soccer NEXT Pro team, which is the equivalent of a minor league team. This made him the first Black principal owner in Major League Soccer and one of only a few Black team owners in modern American sports history, his website states.
There will be an event sometime in May to introduce Norwich to CT United F.C., Singh said.
There will also be infrastructure investments into Dodd Stadium, from roofing and HVAC to ADA Compliance and field and drainage improvements. This will require coordination between city and state partners. The Connecticut Sports Group, another one of Swanstonâs entities, will continue to âinvest to enhance the overall fan experience, helping transform the venue into a year-round destination for sprots, entertainment and community events,â a press release from the City of Norwich states.
CT United FC will also bring a boys youth soccer program, and will look to bring womenâs professional sports back to eastern Connecticut in the future, the press release states.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich Dodd Stadium gets soccer team, keeps baseball