Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union: Martinez scores goal in Leagues Cup match

Keep driving down that exit ramp as it winds the other direction, pointing you away from the stadium. As you reach the ramp’s end at 2nd Street, the view out your windshield is much different from the one in your rearview mirror. It’s a picture of desolation, of abandoned homes, overgrown lots and boarded-up storefronts.

If Talen Energy Stadium represents the idea that a publicly funded stadium is a surefire catalyst for bettering an underdeveloped community, the view across the street paints a colder, harsher reality; one of broken promises and a vision still unfulfilled. Eleven years into their stay in Chester, the Philadelphia Union — despite some real, honest efforts — are still struggling to make inroads there. The stadium, and its immediate surroundings, still feel alien, like they were plunked down in an underserved community with little effort put into enacting a realistic long-term vision.

Back in 2019, when Subaru Park was known as Talen Energy Stadium, The Athletic‘s Pablo Maurer investigated the impact of its presence in Chester, Pennsylvania. In a story that was featured in The Athletic’s Best of 2019 list, he reported that many locals were not feeling the benefits of its addition to the city. Read his story below.