Minnesota United FC will move to a new training center in Woodbury beginning next spring.

Owner Bill McGuire, who purchased the North American Soccer League team earlier this year, is funding the construction of a 7,500-square foot training center. It will be built in concert with an already-underway $21.8 million expansion of the city’s Bielenberg Sports Center, one of the largest sports complexes in the Twin Cities.

The plan received approval Wednesday night at a Woodbury City Council meeting.

The cost of the new training center will be approxmiately $1.4 million. It will connect to a new 120,000-square foot indoor field house with a full-sized turf soccer field. The indoor turf field at the United’s current home, the National Sports Center in Blaine, is smaller and does not allow for full 22-player scrimmages.

United will continue to play home matches in Blaine.

Among other highlights of the Bielenberg expansion are a restaurant and catering area, and a refrigerated outdoor ice sheet. The larger complex also will offer 18 grass soccer fields and 18 baseball/softball fields. The project is expected to be completed in March.

“We are thrilled about our new partnership with the City of Woodbury to make the Bielenberg Sports Center the new training home of Minnesota United FC,” Nick Rogers, the team president, said in a release. “This facility will give athletes, both amateur and professional, a special opportunity to be a part of a first-class facility. Providing our players with a top training facility is crucial for our success and this partnership is another great step for us as we continue to build our organization on and off the field.”

Minnesota United FC head coach and Minnesota native Manny Lagos, who was a member of the U.S. national and Olympic soccer teams, added: “This is an exciting day for our organization and soccer in Minnesota as we partner with the City of Woodbury to create one of the best soccer training facilities in the country.”

McGuire rose to prominence nationally as the head of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group for more than 15 years. His purchase of the team ended months of speculation that it could fold.