LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In every sense, Louisville City FC’s soccer-specific stadium is becoming a reality.

It’s evident in the progress made on the venue itself, with its steel beams and roof now towering over the Butchertown neighborhood as construction continues toward the official opening next spring.

It’s also evident in the virtual world, where fans can check out the view from seats and sections around the venue as they decide where to purchase season tickets for the 2020 campaign.

And yet for those who have helped steward the project toward its conclusion, there is still a sense of the unreal to the reality that is appearing before their eyes.

“In any start-up business, I’d say, you’re constantly evolving, your business model is constantly evolving,” said LouCity President Brad Estes. “Then throw in something like a stadium [project], I don’t think you can truly appreciate what it takes to get there until after it’s all done. It’s certainly very rewarding to drive by and see the progress because it’s literally daily at this stage. … It’s very visual and it’s very satisfying, but I’m not sure I can really appreciate what we’re doing right now until we have a little time to pump the brakes and look at it.”