After visiting Statesboro, Georgia, on Tuesday, the United Soccer League’s Division III expansion team will visit Macon on Wednesday to meet with local business leaders and city officials.

The new third-division league will position its teams for long-term success by creating regional rivalries to reduce travel costs, and delivering a proven professional soccer experience to new markets across the United States. To date, the expansion team has visited 13 different cities in the Southeast and Midwest, with further discussions covering more than 50 markets across the nation.

“Macon is truly a city rich in history that continues its upward trajectory,” Short told USLD3.com. “Geographically located in proximity to other USL Division III potential markets, Macon is a crossroad for industry and features a regional population in excess of 390,000. USL Division III provides Macon the opportunity to become a home to professional soccer club, providing fans with direct access to the thrill and excitement of the world’s game for the first time.”

Macon is home to Mercer University, Wesleyan College, Macon State College and Central Georgia Technical College, and the city recently revealed new downtown commercial development.

The city is not the only one in Georgia to express interest in the USL’s third-division league, as Statesboro’s Darin Van Tassell, South Georgia Tormenta FC Owner and President, is exploring the possibilities of a move from the Premier Development League – the top amateur league in North America – to USL’s DIII. Tormenta FC revealed early renderings of a possible soccer-specific venue on June 30.