Space Coast Pro Soccer Closes on 53.8-Acre Melbourne Site, Clearing the Way for USL Stadium and Mixed-Use District

MELBOURNE, FL, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Space Coast Pro Soccer has secured the land for its future home. The club has closed on the 53.8-acre site directly across from Melbourne Orlando International Airport, where its United Soccer League stadium and surrounding commercial district will be built. The closing, with the City of Melbourne Airport Authority, marks the first major milestone since the club announced its USL franchise in June 2026, with play targeted to begin in March 2028.

“Closing on this land is the moment this project stops being a plan and starts being real,” said John Bonner of Space Coast Pro Soccer. “We now control the ground our stadium will sit on, and we can move forward with the City on entitlements, design and construction with full confidence in the site.”

“Many of you may recall that a few years ago, this site was originally envisioned for Crystal Lagoons, a very different project.” said Jonathan Cohen, Space Coast Pro Soccer Development Partner. “Getting here took many years — together with the Airport Authority, we never stopped working to secure the approvals needed to close on this land. During that time, the market changed, conditions changed, and part of doing right by a community is knowing when to change course for its benefit. Together with John Bonner and the entire team behind him, we made the decision to redirect this land toward the stadium, because we believe it’s what’s best for the growth of this area and for the people of Brevard County and Melbourne,”

The closing was also made possible by the confidence and continued commitment of the club’s investors.

The land was acquired by STADËLON District Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Space Coast Pro Soccer formed to hold and develop the site.

With the land secured, the club’s focus shifts to the City of Melbourne’s site plan and permitting process, the next step toward breaking ground on the stadium and district.

The Site

The 53.8-acre site sits in Melbourne, directly across from Melbourne Orlando International Airport, along the NASA Boulevard and Hibiscus Boulevard corridor — the heart of the Space Coast’s aerospace and defense economy, home to the global headquarters of L3Harris Technologies and a major Collins Aerospace operation, surrounded by established retail, dining and a dense daytime workforce. The location pairs that built-in weekday traffic with airport visibility, giving the stadium and its commercial district a steady audience well beyond match days.

The Stadium

Space Coast Pro Soccer will build a soccer-specific, multi-purpose stadium seating 8,000, expandable to 10,000, at the center of the site. A dedicated training facility for the club’s men’s and women’s programs is also planned.

The Commercial District and Leasing

The stadium anchors a mixed-use district with approximately 60,000 square feet of leasable retail and food-and-beverage space on site, built to draw activity on game days and every other day of the year. Reach Commercial Real Estate is leading commercial strategy and leasing for the district. For leasing information, contact Cassandra Hartford, Cassandra@reachcommercialre.com.

Ownership

The ownership group is led by the people who built Orlando City from the ground up. John Bonner partnered with Phil Rawlins to launch Orlando City in 2010 and helped carry the club from the USL to its Major League Soccer debut in 2015, played in front of 62,000 fans at the Citrus Bowl. Adrian Heath led Orlando City to two USL Championships across six seasons and won two English league titles and the 1984 FA Cup as a player with Everton. The team also includes Tommy Bonner, who brings commercial and residential real estate and early-stage capital experience, alongside Chris Gallagher and Benn Brown, who were also part of the team that built Orlando City.

Get Involved

Space Coast Pro Soccer is currently in the process of engaging with its major funding partners to enable the project. Parties interested in learning more may email tombonner@spacecoastsc.com.

About Space Coast Pro Soccer

Space Coast Soccer Club LLC is a professional soccer club bringing top-level competition and community soccer to Brevard County and Florida’s Space Coast. The club will compete in the USL League One beginning in 2028. spacecoastprosoccer.com

Tom Bonner
Space Coast Soccer Club
407-401-3748
tombonner@spacecoastsc.com
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