U.S. Soccer training center opens thanks to Arthur Blank and Dan Cathy

It’s official. Metro Atlanta is the new home for soccer in the United States.

The Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center officially opened on May 7 at its new home in Fayette County, bringing together a cadre of civic and corporate leaders.

Two central changemakers were instrumental in bringing the national facility to metro Atlanta near the town of Trilith.

The lead $50 million gift for the facility was Arthur Blank, a philanthropist who also owns the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. Dan T. Cathy, chairman of Chick-fil-A, donated land to lure U.S. Soccer’s headquarters to metro Atlanta. with about 400 staff members and a place that will be the home for the 27 U.S. soccer teams.

The result? A complex located on 200 acres with 17 outdoor playing surfaces, including 13 regulation-size natural grass fields, two artificial turf fields, and two sand pitches for beach soccer. It also has more than 400,000 square feet of facilities. About 400 U.S. Soccer staff members will work at the facility, which will serve as the home for 27 U.S. soccer teams.

It is not the first time Blank and Cathy have teamed up on a project. They have worked individually and collectively through their organizations to revitalize the Westside — the neighborhoods west of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In a brief interview before the ceremony, Cathy called Blank an Atlanta legend, one of five who had a “formative impact on my life.” The other four were Bernie Marcus, Blank’s partner at the Home Depot, developer Tom Cousins, Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and Horst Schulze, the former CEO of the Ritz Carlton.

“One of the more endearing moments was when Arthur showed up at my dad’s funeral,” said Cathy, who dismissed their differences. For one, Blank is Jewish and Cathy is a devout Christian. “Our common faith is passion and compassion. That’s so inspiring to me. To have his name on this facility means a lot to me.”

During the program, Coca-Cola executive Bea Perez said the company was proud to contribute $5 million. She added that the company’s 140th birthday was going to be the next day, May 8.

Other founding partners included AT&T, Bank of America, Chobani, Coca-Cola, Emory Healthcare and Nike. American businesswoman Michele Kang is also providing support for women-specific programs at the new facility.

During an interview on stage, Blank reminisced about his own soccer journey. It started when his son, Joshua, began playing soccer when he was only five years old.

Over the years, Blank got to know Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer. By 2014, Blank announced he would be bringing professional soccer to the city, and Atlanta United’s inaugural season was in 2017.

“We had an incredible launch in 2017,” Blank said. “We will do that again.”

It was Garber who called Blank to say U.S. Soccer was looking for a home for its national training facility.

Blank then met with JT Batson, CEO and secretary of the U.S. Soccer Federation, and Cindy Parlow Cone, president of U.S. Soccer.

“In the first five minutes, I knew I wanted to do it,” Blank said about when he met with Batson and Parlow Cone.

Although Parlow Cone remembered the negotiations differently, she said the opening of the facility “is literally a dream come true. None of this would be possible without my friend Arthur Blank.”

Towards the end of the program, Blank also opened the door to U.S. Soccer to come to him for future support. “I hope I can be part of the growth,” Blank said.

When asked about his motivation, Blank spoke of soccer’s human connection.

“It’s not just the facility, it’s the hearts and minds of young folks,” Blank said. “To have my name on the building, I really don’t know what to say. It’s really thrilling for me.”