PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — WPTV is learning about some pushback to bring a professional soccer team to the Treasure Coast.
Hundreds of people have signed an online petition opposing the plan to build a 6,000-seat stadium for a new United Soccer League (USL) team in Port St. Lucie.
WATCH BELOW: Petition seeks to stop construction of 6,000-seat soccer stadium
The stadium is one component of the 46-acre Walton & One project, aimed at turning eastern Port St. Lucie into a walkable, mixed-use destination.
The city has agreed to contribute up to $27.5 million in tax increment revenue toward the construction of a new soccer stadium. These funds will not come from the city's general budget, but from increases in property tax revenue, known as TIF (tax increment financing), generated over time and used to reinvest in the area.
However, more than 700 people signed a petition expressing their concerns about the stadium.
The petition points to traffic concerns on Walton Road and U.S. Highway 1 and the $27 million the city is investing in the construction of the stadium.
Some people said that money should be invested in parks and infrastructure.
But neighbors along Walton Road, like Ben and Debbie Wingeier, told WPTV they're excited for the stadium and the impact it will have on the community.
"I like soccer," said Ben Wingeier. "I think it'll do a lot for the town."
But a few doors down, Timothy Mason said the growth in the city is too much. Mason said the new stadium will add more traffic.
"I feel like we have enough here," said Mason. "We have too much going on, too much building going on, and not enough leaving from the areas for the preserves and things like that."
WPTV took these concerns to Port St. Lucie city spokesperson Scott Samples.
Samples said the soccer team, as part of their operating agreement, will have to work with Port St. Lucie police for traffic mitigation, similar to arrangements with the New York Mets at their spring training facility in St. Lucie West.
"We've got some precedent in place on how we can try to minimize the impact of traffic during game days," Samples said.
Samples added the team will also need to complete a traffic study for development.
The $27.5 million investment, Samples said, comes from a pot of money that can only be used for revitalization in the Walton & One CRA District.
"That money cannot be used to build a road in North Port St. Lucie or a park in West Port St. Lucie," Samples said.
There is no set timeline for when construction on the stadium will begin, but soccer matches are expected to begin in 2027.
As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had received 712 signatures.
Read more of WPTV's coverage on the announcement of a new professional soccer team in Port St. Lucie:
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How will new soccer stadium impact the Port St. Lucie economy?
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