The Philadelphia Union’s minor league team has pulled out of the Lehigh Valley, according to a news release.

Bethlehem Steel FC will play the upcoming season as Philadelphia Union II, the release from the team says.

The team initially played at Goodman Stadium on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem. But a complaint about inadequate lighting left the team without a home and forced it to play its 2019 season elsewhere.

The lights don’t meet the standard for USL Championship, the league in which Philadelphia Union II plays.

“For the past several years, we have diligently explored numerous stadium options in the Lehigh Valley. Unfortunately, there still is not a viable stadium solution that will meet the current stadium requirements for the USL Championship,” Tim McDermott, the Philadelphia Union’s chief business officer, said in the news release.

The club considered moving to Cottingham Stadium in Easton. In fact, it had hoped to play two games this fall at the revamped stadium, according to team spokeswoman Amanda Young Curtis.

But when bids came in more than $3 million over budget, the Easton Area School District had the project rebid. That means the renovations won’t be ready until 2021 at the earliest. And, it’s unlikely Easton will add the lights necessary to meet the USL Championship specifications.

“Under its current condition this venue does not mean regulations to be used for our league. We are continuing to monitor their project with interest for potential future use,” Young Curtis said.

So, Philadelphia Union II will again play its 2020 home games at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, home of its Major Soccer League parent club. There were concerns last season about wear-and-tear on the Talen playing field from two teams’ worth of games. The club feels confident the field will hold up. The Union II plans to play all of its home contests there in the fall.

“We are constantly working on and improving our field maintenance practices and we are confident the field will be game-ready for both teams,” Young Curtis said.

Playing in Chester will allow the minor league players to learn from and practice alongside the major league players. The club hasn’t completely shut the door on the Lehigh Valley fans, according to McDermott.

“The Lehigh Valley is a special place. We are incredibly thankful for our friends and fans and the relationships we have forged. We will continue to make every effort possible to bring the Union brand to the region,” McDermott said in the release.

The full schedule of USL Championship games will be released later.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.