UNC Asheville announced that it will be pausing negotiations for its $250 million Millennial Campus development — which includes a 5,000-seat soccer stadium, housing, and retail on 45 acres of urban forest — to continue vetting the project and “secure broader stakeholder input,” according to a news release.
The university intends to establish a Millennial Campus Development Commission, appointed by UNC Asheville Board of Trustees Chair Roger Aiken and Chancellor Kimberly van Noort. The group’s initial focus will be on proposed alternatives to the plan, with other functions including soliciting community input and reviewing proposed development ideas.
Since its inception, the project has garnered opposition from locals, spurring the Save the Woods movement — an group of students, faculty, staff, nearby residents, and Asheville citizens working to protect the land through petitioning, community events, and organized input opportunities.
UNC Asheville invites the community to bring their ideas to the commission, which is expected to wrap up its work by January.
