Game on: Esports group plans to build stadiums across U.S., Canada

Esports is here to stay and might be coming to a major city near you.

Glytch, a developer, proposed building 32 esports stadiums across the U.S. and Canada over the next eight years. Each location will be roughly 100,000 square feet and the home of a professional esports team.

Every stadium has a price tag of $54 million.

That kind of investment shows esports, once thought to be a novelty, are here to stay. More money is being pumped into the field, and some colleges have even started to offer scholarships for esport programs. Tech firm Activate estimated that more than 250 million people watch esports.

Recently, Glytch announced plans to build a 100,000-square-foot arena in Columbus, Ohio, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The arena has a theater design, so it can host other events, such as concerts.

While many locations have yet to be announced, Glytch has started work on a Los Angeles facility, with Atlanta, Chicago and the Seattle area mentioned as other sites. The plan is to open four stadiums by the end of 2024.

"We firmly believe this is the next step in esports. Instead of hosting every major esports league and all the teams in Los Angeles, we believe in regional stadiums with local teams,” Michael Williams, the chief visionary officer for Glytch and former CEO of GameWorks, said and reported by the Dispatch.

“We want everyone across the country to enjoy what this phenomenon has to offer."

Earlier this year, Glytch announced Populous would serve as the design architect for the stadiums.

“There needs to be a critical mass of stadiums and teams distributed regionally across the Americas equipped with consistent broadcasting platforms, diverse food and beverage options, upscale fan amenities, and location-based entertainment,” Brian Mirakian, senior principal and global esports director at Populous, said at the time.