CINCINNATI, OH - FC Cincinnati announced the Master Plan Architect, Master Development Partner, construction, and other partners for the $300 million, world-class mixed-use district north of TQL Stadium. Located in the West End, adjacent to Over-the-Rhine and near Downtown, the district will be in the heart of Cincinnati. FCC tapped RIOS as Master Plan Architect to lead a transformative design that builds on the distinct heritage of the West End. The district will welcome all and include all, bringing new investment, residents, visitors, and experiences to the neighborhood with a hotel, apartments, office space, retail, restaurants, entertainment venues and a public space.

“We are thrilled to bring the global design excellence of RIOS to the West End mixed-use district. We look to RIOS to create a community hub at the front steps of TQL Stadium, rooted in history and legacy, that aesthetically inspires and unites our city with a bold and inclusive vision for the future,” said Jeff Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati.

Founded in Los Angeles, RIOS is a global design collective renowned for its skill and design excellence across architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, interior architecture and experiential product and graphic design. RIOS’ portfolio of global projects is diverse across commercial, civic, hospitality, institutional and residential practices. Recent projects by RIOS include: ocViBE, 1 Hotel West Hollywood, Atlanta’s Echo Street West, Sacramento Downtown Commons, Microsoft Square at L.A. Live, Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts in Houston, and Spotify’s L.A. Content Campus.

“RIOS was selected because of their global design talent and their commitment to seek out and incorporate community input into their design. From day one community input has been important to FC Cincinnati, and we believe RIOS’ experience working with communities during the design process will result in an exciting, world-class district,” said Chad Munitz, Chief Development Officer, FC Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati will partner with Marquee Development as Master Developer for the district. Other project partners announced today include:

• Messer Construction Co. and TriVersity Construction – Construction Manager
  • Messer is an employee-owned construction manager and general contractor that provides leadership for complex construction projects throughout the Midwest and Southeast. The company has delivered value for 90 years through quality construction and client experiences, taking care to both exceed customer expectations and build long-term relationships. TriVersity is a certified MBE that has partnered with Messer to complete more than $1 billion worth of construction over the past 15+ years.

• Cushman & Wakefield – Commercial Broker
  • Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 52,000 employees in approximately 400 offices and 60 countries. In 2022, the firm reported revenue of $10.1 billion across its core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, and valuation and other services. It also receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and more. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.

• Sanders Development Group – Development Partner
  • Sanders Development Group focuses on commercial, mixed-use, and large scale residential real estate, investment, and development projects. Sanders Development Group recently completed a $4M relocation of TriVersity Construction headquarters to Walnut Hills, rehabilitating a vacant, blighted industrial building and bringing jobs to the urban core.

• North American Properties – Multi-family Apartment Developer
  • Founded in 1954, North American Properties is a privately held, multi-regional real estate company that develops, manages, and invests in real estate. Rooted in its purpose-driven approach to development, North American Properties creates places for people to connect so communities can thrive. The company’s projects include multifamily and student housing, mixed-use spaces, retail and grocery-anchored shopping centers, hotels, offices, industrial, and condominium developments across the United States.

Previously announced project team partners include The Compendium as Hotel Partner; JS Held as owners’ representative; and Government Strategies Group as the government and community relations partner. 

The Compendium announced in July that the hotel concept will offer guests best-in-class service together with elevated, layered design elements across its hotel, hospitality, entertainment, and retail spaces.

Phase one of construction is underway with the demolition of the former Tri-State warehouse, the former Cincinnati Ballet building, and a former beer storage building. FC Cincinnati remains committed to inclusion after setting record inclusion rates in the construction of TQL stadium. FC Cincinnati owners expect the same standard with the construction of this development. FC Cincinnati have pledged to meet or exceed the city and Port’s inclusion goals for construction of this project.

About FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati are a Major League Soccer team playing at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally founded in 2015 by Carl H. Lindner III and Co-CEO Jeff Berding, FCC began play in the United Soccer League (USL) in 2016. FCC entered MLS as the 24th team in 2019. The club’s wide and diverse ownership group is led by controlling owner Lindner III; as well as managing owners Meg Whitman and Dr. Griff Harsh; Scott Farmer; and George Joseph.

FC Cincinnati opened the club’s privately funded, 26,000-seat soccer-specific TQL Stadium in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati in 2021, a venue which has won numerous global awards including the World Football Summit Best Venue 2022 in Madrid and the 2022 Prix Versailles World Title in the Sports Category in Paris, France.

The club earned its first MLS Cup Playoffs berth in 2022, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinal as the no. 5 seed. The club won the 2018 USL Regular-Season Championship in record-setting fashion and earned postseason berths in all three of its USL seasons. In 2017, FC Cincinnati also advanced to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a run that included victories over two MLS squads.

About Marquee Development

Marquee Development is a mixed-use real estate developer and event company that specializes in building and operating entertainment districts adjacent to sports and cultural venues. Their expertise spans all phases of development, operations, hospitality, and ongoing event programming supported by marketing and media. Born of sports team ownership, Marquee is known for thinking like owners and creating as operators. Their destinations and guest experiences drive long-term value creation— inspiring neighbors and visitors to return again and again, year round. Discover more at www.marqueedevelopment.com.