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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — City leaders are pushing for a new professional soccer stadium in Midtown and the Mayor’s Office has issued a call for designers interested in the project.

Last week on WREG’s Live at 9, Mayor Jim Strickland said he’d like to see the old coliseum torn down in favor of new developments.

“The City Council makes the final decision on that.  And until we really have the money in hand, the financing.  My guess is we probably won’t seriously debate that, but that could come just within a few months,” said Strickland.

The new stadium would seat as many as 80,000 people and would be the new home of the Memphis 901-FC, the city’s professional soccer team.

The city plans to hold a meeting with designers on Thursday. If all goes according to plan, construction could begin next year, with the first event at the stadium being sometime in 2025.