Tidewater Stadium – construction description

When was the plan to build a new soccer stadium in Pawtucket conceived?

A new soccer stadium in Pawtucket (Providence metropolitan area) is one of the key elements of the Tidewater Landing development project, which will also include new apartments, retail and offices, as well as revitalization of the entire waterfront area with landscaping, creation of new paths and a footbridge over the Seekong River, plus new parking spaces.

The project was announced in December 2019 and is an initiative of the Fortuitous Partners development group. The estimated cost of the entire project is $400 million; the stadium itself, financed through a public-private partnership, is expected to cost $137 million.

Where will the new stadium be built in Pawtucket?

The project is being built near downtown Pawtucket, on the Seekong River waterfront, near the I-95 highway bridge and on the site of a former manufactured-gas plant and electric generation facility.

What will the new stadium in Pawtucket be like?

You can see the design of Tidewater Stadium on a separate subpage

The stadium will have a soccer-specific profile and be able to accommodate 10,500 spectators. The stands will be mostly uncovered; the largest main stand in the west will be made up of two tiers. Future expansion of the venue will be possible.

How is the construction of the new stadium in Pawtucket progressing?

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on August 12, 2022, and the main contractor is the Dimeo company.

At the time of the start of the project, it was assumed that the stadium would open in 2024. However, the work was prolonged, including due to the developer's problems with finalizing the budget, which led in the spring of 2023 to a temporary halt in the work. The stadium is currently scheduled to open at the start of the 2025 season.

Who will be the host of the new stadium in Pawtucket?

The plan was not only to build a stadium, but also to create a brand new soccer team to join the USL Championship (the second-highest ranked soccer division in the US, after MLS).

In November 2022, it was announced that the team would be called Rhode Island FC. The team joined the competition in the 2024 season and will play at Beirne Stadium, owned by Bryant University, until the new stadium opens.