MOUNT VERNON – An ambitious plan to convert Memorial Field into an arena with a retractable roof could accommodate as many as 25,000 spectators, the mayor said.

The long-closed, contaminated field would be rebuilt with a large underground parking garage and include construction of retail and restaurant space, movie theaters and a pool in a plan estimated to cost $109 million and floated last week by Mayor Richard Thomas.

Thomas initially said the new stadium would seat 15,000 and be pitched as a home to a professional sports team such as NYCFC. The mayor now says that seating is flexible and has offered a range of up to 25,000 seats.

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In his pitch for the construction, Thomas mentioned as a potential tenant NYCFC, the Major League Soccer club that plays at Yankee Stadium but is looking for a more permanent home field. The larger capacity may be more appealing to a pro sports team or other soccer league, although NYCFC had an average attendance of more than 27,000 for its home games in 2016, according to MLS.

“Do we want the Mount Vernon of today or we do we want a Mount Vernon that’s going to have a bright future tomorrow for our kids?” Thomas said in an interview with The Journal News/lohud.

Thomas called the plan a “shot in the arm” to the local economy and said in his email newsletter the U.S. Conference of Mayors will host a session in July with construction professionals and others on the project.

He said funding for the project would come through private-sector investment and a mixture of local, county and state subsidies.

At a meeting last weekend, City Council members expressed skepticism at the deal and its associated price tag. Thomas has said if the cost exceeds the initial estimate, believes the additional funding could come through the professional team and sponsorship opportunities.

Memorial Field has been closed since a $12.7 million plan to reconstruct it stalled under former Mayor Ernie Davis, who left office in 2015. The city recently agreed to pay a $40,000 fine and remove contaminated soil at the site.

Twitter: @marklungariello