Plus, some of the local talent hoping to be selected in the NWSL College Draft
LINCOLN YARDS OPPOSITION: A report in the Chicago Tribune has Chicago 2nd Ward alderman Brian Hopkins, whose ward includes the area the proposed development on the city’s North Side near the Kennedy Expressway, is expected to express his opposition to the proposed soccer stadium citing potential traffic impact in the area.
The 20,000-seat soccer stadium was set to be home for a new USL franchise that was going to be owned by Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and developers Sterling Bay and open in 2020.
Hopkins expressed skepticism about whether roads, bridges and public transportation along Lincoln Yards and the Bucktown neighborhood could support a large sports stadium.
“Sterling Bay wants the opportunity to present the results of their own traffic analysis, which they believe can show compatibility of a 20,000-seat soccer stadium and the surrounding traffic infrastructure in the neighborhood,” Hopkins told the Tribune. “Right now I just don’t see it.”
On Monday, his office sent an email to constituents, outlining results of a public survey about the Lincoln Yards proposal. Among survey respondents, 53 percent opposed the stadium, 25 percent were unsure and 23 percent supported it.
Typically in Chicago, a developer needs the sign-off of the local alderman in order to achieve full City Council approval for zoning. Hopkins’s potential opposition will make it difficult for the project to go through. There was no response at the time of publishing by Sterling Bay managing principal Andy Gloor or Ricketts.
LOCAL DRAFT HOPEFULS: The NWSL College Draft takes place on Thursday at 11am CT from McCormick Place (West Building) in Chicago. A full list of eligible players by clicking on this link. Local college players on the list include the following:
| Name | School/University | Position(s) Played | Hometown | Youth Club |
|
Jessica Bianchi
|
Trinity Christian College | F, M | Elmhurst, IL | Eclipse Select |
|
Franny Cerny
|
DePaul University | F, M | Berkeley, CA | East Bay United/Bay Oaks |
|
Hannah Davison
|
Northwestern University | D | Geneva, IL | Eclipse Select |
|
Sabrina Flores
|
University of Notre Dame | M, D | Livingston, NJ | PDA Slammers |
|
Patricia George
|
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | F, D | Chicago, IL | Power Strikers |
|
Corynne Griffith
|
Valparaiso University | F, M | Lemont, IL | Chicago International Soccer Club |
|
Katie Murray
|
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | F, M | Cincinnati, OH | Kings Hammer Academy |
|
Karin Muya
|
University of Notre Dame | F, M | London, England | Chelsea Ladies Football Club |
|
Kayla Sharples
|
Northwestern University | D | Naperville, IL | Eclipse Select |
|
Jenna Szczesny
|
Loyola University Chicago | F | Hoffman Estates, IL | Chicago Red Stars CU-19 |
The Chicago Red Stars have the #1 selection as well as the #7 pick via their trade with Utah Royals last season in exchange for Christen Press. Their natural selection is the #6 pick. Indeed, just four teams will be selecting in the first round as joining the Red Stars are Sky Blue FC (2nd and 3rd picks), Washington (4th and 8th), and the North Carolina Courage (5th and 9th).
Chicago Fire
