As Portland Hearts of Pine prepare for their sophomore season home opener, the club is marking a major milestone off the field: a total of $3 million in privately funded improvements to Fitzpatrick Stadium over the past 18 months—transforming one of Portland’s most storied venues into an improved multi-use community asset.
Originally committed to $1 million in upgrades as part of its lease with the city, the club’s latest offseason investment in a new stadium-wide audio system brings total improvements to around $3 million. The current work builds on a series of foundational upgrades completed ahead of the club’s inaugural season, including a high-performance playing surface, new LED field lighting, on-site locker rooms, seating upgrades, and significant press box renovations, plus a variety of utility and infrastructure improvements throughout the facility.
Together, these investments reflect a dual mission: to elevate the matchday experience for Hearts fans while contributing to a shared stadium that serves Portland Public Schools, community organizations, and other events year-round.
“Fitzpatrick Stadium is so much more than just a place we play,” said Kevin Schohl, Hearts of Pine Club President. “Fitzy is a community asset, and we’ve made a multi-year commitment to improving it—not just for our supporters, but for everyone who uses it.”
Much of the initial investment came in preparation for the club’s inaugural 2025 season, laying the groundwork for professional soccer in Portland. This offseason’s installation of a new, stadium-specific sound system represents the latest phase of that work.
Designed to improve clarity, coverage, and overall atmosphere, the new sound system replaces and repurposes some decades-old equipment, and enhances everything from in-game announcements to music and supporter-led moments—while also better containing sound within the stadium footprint.
Shaped by Supporters, Built for the Community
While infrastructure has been a major focus, the club has also leaned heavily on supporter feedback to guide improvements to the overall fan experience.
Across thousands of post-match surveys, a 5,500-response 2026 Preseason Survey, and the club’s first-ever Virtual Supporters Summit hosted in early April, fans helped shape a range of matchday updates—both large and small.
Although it is a public park, Fitzpatrick Stadium’s infrastructure is limited and it does not currently have a public drinking fountain. In response to consistent feedback around access to water, Hearts of Pine partnered with the Portland Water District to install a portable hydration station near the Concessions Pavilion, offering free tap water in compostable cups on matchday.
Operationally, the club has also focused on improving how fans move into and through the stadium. With demand continuing to grow, the club has expanded standing-room capacity and has added a new entry gate near Hadlock Field to reduce congestion and improve flow on matchday.
“We’re building this with our players, fans, and neighbors in mind,” said Hannah Sirois, Vice President of Fan Experience. “Every improvement, whether the pitch itself or the environment around it, comes from listening, learning, and committing to make each matchday better than the last.”
Thanks to the efforts of over 200 employees and vendors, the stadium is transformed to serve over 6,000 fans on each of the club’s 20 matchdays, but all Hearts-specific infrastructure continues to be designed for single-day setup and teardown. This allows the club to increase access and enhance the experience without compromising the stadium’s availability for Portland Public Schools and other community users.
A Platform for Local Economic Impact
Beyond the stadium itself, Hearts of Pine’s matchdays have become a growing engine for local economic activity. The club partners with dozens of Maine-based vendors—from food trucks to local restaurants and other small businesses—to create a matchday environment that reflects the region.
This “festival of local” approach has helped turn each home game into an opportunity for local businesses to connect with new audiences and generate meaningful revenue. Led by the club’s official concessions partner Rustic Taps–a Gorham-based special events catering company–each matchday sees close to 20 local food and beverage vendors represented.
“The impact that these food trucks, breweries, and local restaurants are seeing as a result of Hearts games is literally changing their business,” said Dave Golden, Rustic Taps’ co-owner. “There’s a glow they get for being at the games, but I’m also seeing these local vendors dreaming bigger and reinvesting in their operations in ways they never could have without this matchday revenue.”
This impact is reaching beyond the confines of Fitzpatrick Stadium, as many fans are finding additional venues to come together and watch their team play on TV. Each matchday, home or away, is an occasion for a half dozen Hearts of Pine partners to throw watch parties.
“From day one, the goal has been to build something that feels rooted here,” Schohl added. “That means investing in the stadium, but it also means investing in the people and businesses that make this community special, and they love to rally around their local sports teams.”
Looking Ahead
As Hearts enter their second season, the club will continue to evaluate opportunities to improve Fitzpatrick Stadium and the surrounding matchday experience—while engaging with community partners on the long-term future of soccer in Portland.
With demand for matches far exceeding stadium capacity, the club sees its investment in Fitzpatrick as both a foundation and a signal of intent: a commitment to building something lasting, ambitious, and deeply connected to the city it calls home. The club also plans to launch a women’s team in the USL W League for the 2027 season, which would add approximately six additional matchdays to the schedule and offer more opportunities for local fans to attend games.
The Hearts of Pine men’s team opens its 2026 home schedule on Saturday, April 11 against One Knoxville SC, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets for the match are sold out, which will make this the club’s 19th consecutive sellout match at Fitzpatrick Stadium.