As Major League Soccer expands and its clubs continue to rise within the global game, so to do the expectations of players and fans. However, for expansion clubs, it’s hard to know where to start; superstar players, increased youth development, better results, trophies? For Charlotte FC, the answer may be all of the above through a big investment in brand new facilities.

On Tuesday, October 10th, Charlotte FC unveiled its brand new training facility and business headquarters, which will also become the home of Crown Legacy FC, their MLS Next Pro side. Atrium Health Performance Park features world class facilities for staff and players alike, enabling them to meet, train, interact, and, hopefully, build better on-field success for the club. Charlotte FC’s new home includes a state-of-the-art weight room, eight soccer fields, a community room and a spacious outdoor area, for use by the stars of Charlotte FC and their academy prospects alike.

So why am I, an NYCFC fan, writing about a new training facility? First, if you haven’t seen the video that Charlotte FC shared on their social media channels, I highly recommend you start here. But, let’s talk about the ramifications of what a top of the line facility such as this can bring to Charlotte. Being one of the newer clubs within MLS, Charlotte did come in with a different kind of “sexy aura” when compared to the likes of some older clubs in this league. In their first ever home game the club had over 74,000 fans there to watch their team take on the Los Angeles Galaxy. The club was even able to sell some of their initial roster signings (Riley McGree and Sergio Ruiz) to some major European leagues. Charlotte is a soccer city. Now, the success hasn’t been the same on the field compared to off of it. However, I do feel the tides changing on that front as we’ve seen flashes of talents such as Enzo Copetti, Adilson Malanda, and Ben Bender look like sparks of hope for fans. But taking a larger step back, the opening of this new “home” will only improve the club’s standing on and off the field.

The current Charlotte FC roster should improve with a center like this. Having the opportunities to train, workout, eat, and basically live to their highest potentials and abilities as a professional soccer player. You are going to be able to see players within Crown Legacy have their best chances to reach their top potential maybe sooner with a center like this, and the same goes for their academy players. That means that some really talented youngsters from within the Carolinas area may be sold to top clubs globally through the help of this center. The Carolinas have produced some of the best U.S. soccer talents that we’ve seen in recent years; Brandt Bronico, Gianluca Busio, Ike Opara, Chituru Odenze, Brad Knighton, Elliot Panicco, D.J. Taylor, Jonathan Amon, and others. Being able to have other talents like these training at their highest level is only a plus to the Charlotte FC organization. And on the flip side of that coin, having a center like this may also be a huge selling point in recruiting talent from across the global and on domestic fronts as well. Maybe the next global superstar (such as Lionel Messi and company down in Miami) is swayed by their next potential working conditions and opts to head to the Queen City.

Now look… a training center like this does not fix everything and doesn’t mean the club will be the most successful in MLS. But, this does give Charlotte FC a lot more potential, tools, and hope than can be said for many clubs throughout Major League Soccer. Charlotte FC are doing things right off the field, and in turn the success will come.