From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C — UNC Asheville’s Millennial Campus Development Advisory Committee recommended dropping the idea of building a controversial 5,000-seat soccer stadium from its South Campus property, known as “the woods,” in its report released on July 20.

Yet, the committee still designated the 45-acre urban forest as the top priority for other commercial and campus development.

Following are background details on the stadium proposal:

• The university previously pursued a partnership with the Asheville City Soccer Club to build a $250 million stadium district on the wooded land.

• The plan triggered massive pushback from neighbors and local groups such as Save the Woods and Friends of the Woods, who gathered more than 18,000 signatures to protect the urban forest.

• UNCA paused the project in August 2025 following the ensuing community uproar and formed an advisory group to re-evaluate.

Following are the committee’s recommendations:

• The MCDA Committee’s formal report advised against building the stadium because a large sports venue “would organize development around a single use, crowding out the higher priority uses.”