Multi-million dollar soccer stadium proposed in Rockdale County

CONYERS, Ga. - A Dutch investor wants to build a multi-million dollar sports and entertainment complex in Rockdale County. The proposed site would sit near the Georgia International Horse Park along Centennial Olympic Parkway. His group hopes to host a women’s professional soccer team, and just maybe host a team for the 2026 World Cup.

Conyers City Council last month agreed to sell the land to Sportiff USA. The developer would build the 10,000 seat stadium in Conyers. It’s the latest proposal for a sports and entertainment complex in metro Atlanta. 

Tillman Douglas heads the Atlanta Marketing Agency. They’re partnered with Patrick Vierhout, who owns the apparel company that wants to build the sports and entertainment center. The proposed venue would include condos, a hotel, restaurants and the stadium as its center-piece. 

"It’s a 290-acre site adjacent to the Centennial Olympic Horse Park used in the 1996 Olympic Games," Tillman said. "It will be a great facility for football, American soccer." 

The group hopes the stadium could host a women’s pro team and perhaps serve as a practice center during Atlanta’s stretch of the 2026 World Cup.  

Tillman says the site would perhaps cost "several hundred million dollars." 

Funding could come from private and public sources. It isn’t clear how much taxpayers would contribute.

"At this point. We have not asked anything from the taxpayers," Tillman said. 

Metro Atlanta already has pro football, baseball, basketball and soccer teams. Other developers also propose sports and entertainment complexes in Cobb and Forsyth counties.

FOX 5 asked Tillman if the region could support yet another expensive sports venue. 

"I think we can sustain all of it. Atlanta is growing and getting better by the day," Tillman said. 

Conyers Mayor Vince Evans and City Manager Tony Lucas have not responded to FOX 5’s calls for this story. 

The sale of the land could be finalized by the end of the year.