LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — It’s been a long time coming, but plans are now final for the Lexington Sporting Club to build a permanent home in Lexington. The new stadium will be more than just the next chapter for the Lexington Sporting Club. Officials say that it will be an anchor to bring more restaurants and hotels to the area and boost Lexington’s tourism industry overall.

“From the very first announcement two years ago, and now here we are. And getting to know that we’re going to have our own official home I think that’s huge. I think that speaks volumes to the longevity of the club,” superfan Tyler Crane told FOX 56 at the announcement.

The plot of land right off I-75 and Athens-Boonesboro Road is already serving Lexington’s youth with a place to play soccer. By this time next year, it will be the home of the city’s growing sport.

“In this whole area, we’ve been paying attention to it for a long, long time. And the vision as to what this area could look like. And now with the expansion, the urban service area out this way too, you’re going to, you know, this is going to be, in our vision, it’s going to be the gateway to our city,” team co-owner Stephen Dawahare told FOX 56.

The $82 million project is already under construction. Andy Beshear said that last year set a record for tourism’s economic impact in the state and that Lexington was a standout.

“For the first time ever, Fayette County and Lexington passed the $1 billion mark, and it wasn’t close. A $1.5 billion economic impact. This is just going to keep growing it,” Beshear said.

And with the new stadium, also announced is the arrival of a new women’s league that will begin playing next year when the stadium opens.

“The time is right; the time is now to bring professional women’s soccer to Lexington,” USL Super League President Amanda Vandervort said.

LSC officials have set a high goal to score the first goals at the stadium by next August. An announcement for the stadium’s new name is yet to come. The next season for the men’s team will start this spring before the stadium is finished, so it will continue to play home games at Georgetown College.