Atlanta United 2 today announced that Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia will be the home venue for the team’s 2019 season.
ATL UTD 2’s home matches during its inaugural 2018 season were played at Gwinnett County’s Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
“Coolray Field was an excellent home during our first season,” Atlanta United Vice President of Business Operations Catie Griggs said. “We are extremely grateful to everyone at Coolray Field, the Gwinnett Stripers and Atlanta Braves organizations, Gwinnett County Sports Commission and all of our Gwinnett-based fans who made our inaugural campaign memorable. Lawrenceville will forever be the first home of ATL UTD 2, and for that, Coolray Field will always hold a special place in our club’s history.”
Atlanta United’s First Team played a pair of U.S. Open Cup matches at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in 2017 and 2018, both resulting in wins against Charleston Battery. ATL UTD 2 also hosted a rescheduled match there on Aug. 7 after a previous game was suspended due to weather.
Owned by Kennesaw State University, Fifth Third Bank Stadium is home to KSU’s women’s soccer and lacrosse teams and the Owls’ football team. It also hosts many other events, including rugby, concerts and festivals, and is the home venue for the Atlanta Blaze of Major League Lacrosse. Originally named KSU Stadium, the venue opened in 2010 as a soccer-specific stadium with the former Women’s Professional Soccer team Atlanta Beat hosting the first athletics event.
“We are excited to make Kennesaw our new home next year,” said Griggs. “Fifth Third Bank Stadium features an award-winning, top-class playing surface and is a venue designed for professional soccer. In addition to its convenient proximity to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, hosting our home matches in Kennesaw provides ATL UTD 2 the best environment to develop while also strengthening the Atlanta United brand close to home.”
