Michelle Betos has represented 12 clubs during more than a decade playing professional soccer around the globe. Never, the goalkeeper said, has she called a locker room home that’s as nice as the one in Racing Louisville FC’s new training facility.
Betos and teammates this week moved into their $15 million digs also complete with a weight room, dining hall, media/film room and several fields. Located at 801 Edith Road, the complex consolidates day-to-day club operations at a Champions Park site fewer than two miles from Lynn Family Stadium.
“I’m still wrapping my head around it being ours. I hope the league can see the standard now, because this changes it,” said Betos, also captain for the NWSL expansion side. “All I could think about when I walked in there was, the first year I had a folding chair, put my clothes under it and took it home every day. Now I’m sitting on a purple cushion chair with my picture above it.
“It makes you so proud to represent this club. This is just another example of where women’s soccer is going and should be.”
Ground was broken for this project on Aug. 4, 2020. Minor construction will continue in the coming weeks, putting finishing touches on the building before a proper ribbon cutting.
“It’s a world-class facility and statement of intent for where we want to go,” said Racing’s head coach, Christy Holly. “We feel very strongly that players deserve the best — whether it’s their nutrition, strength and conditioning, the locker room or medical care, it’s all taken care of here.
“This facility is something that will allow us to recruit the best players in the world to Louisville.”
Built by AML Construction and operated by ASM Global, the facility also houses the USL Championship side Louisville City FC, youth academies and back office staff. Locker room spaces, offices and training rooms are symmetrical for the women’s and men’s clubs, which will share other areas such as the weight room and cafeteria.
“The opportunity to have a home where you can house a women’s team and a men’s team that are treated equally is really important to us as an organization,” said James O’Connor, executive vice president of development. “Then we align them with the academy. It’s rare for clubs to be able to house their whole technical side in the same place.
“The teams can train at the same time if they want using the same facilities with the same standards. That sets us us apart from most organizations in the country.”
Already, the complex’s fields have hosted a number of community events, from college soccer games to youth sports camps. Visit www.racingloufc.com/racingloufc/rentals for more information on event bookings.
