After a long and protracted design and planning process, US Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise D.C. United has finally been given the green light to build a new stadium at Buzzard Point in Washington.

Team officials have swayed the D.C. Zoning Commission, which voted to approve the plans following design revisions to made by the club to address environmental concerns and offer clarity on its plans for parking, transportation and the creation of public spaces.

D.C. United – the most decorated soccer franchise in the US – has also announced Audi of America will be the naming partner of the new ground, now officially named Audi Field, with ground set to be broken in the first quarter of 2017.

The stadium, designed by architects Populous and Marshall Moya Design, has a capacity of 20,000 and is formed of a seating bowl with canopies surrounding an uncovered field. The facility will feature 31 luxury suites, a bike valet, and 500,000sq ft (46,400sq m) of mixed-use retail and residential space on site, allowing it to be used throughout the year.

The architectural team envisioned a "contemporary industrial" style to bring a modern aesthetic to the DC United brand, while also paying homage to the industrial past of Buzzard Point. In addition to football, Audi Field will also host a variety of other sporting and cultural events, community activities and concerts when it opens in 2018.

“We enthusiastically welcome Audi of America to their new home in the District of Columbia,” said mayor Muriel Bowser. “With a globally recognised brand putting their stamp on the new D.C. United stadium, we move that much closer to more jobs and economic opportunity along the Anacostia – and further cement our status as the nation’s sports capital.”

The cost of the project is reportedly US$300m (€281.6m, £241.8m.)