Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has written a letter to the Maryland Stadium Authority asking the agency to study the possibility of building a new soccer stadium for DC United.

The city became warm to the idea after the 71,000-seat M&T Bank Stadium hosted a sold out soccer friendly in July between A.C. Milan and Chelsea, Millard said.

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“The letter, dated Sept. 30, asks the stadium authority to focus on building the stadium as part of a green mixed-use project with accesss to light rail, Interstate 95, Baltimore-Washington Parkway and the Camden Yards sports complex.

Dixon cites developer Patrick Turner’s 42-acre waterfront Westport project as meeting those standards. Turner said through a spokeswoman Tuesday he was aware of the letter and will wait for the stadium authority’s study to play out before deciding if it would be the best fit the Southwest Baltimore project.

Demaune A. Millard, Dixon’s chief of staff, and a stadium authority board member, said in an interview that the stadium could be between 17,000 and 20,000 seats.

The letter, which was written months after negotiations for a new $200 million stadium broke down between D.C. United and Prince George’s County, also says the stadium could be used for lacrosse and other events.

The city became warm to the idea after the 71,000-seat M&T Bank Stadium hosted a sold out soccer friendly in July between A.C. Milan and Chelsea, Millard said.

“There was a significant amount of momentum built from that game,” he said, noting D.C. United’s interest in building a new stadium. “We’re making sure we’re not leaving any stone unturned.”

Millard said the city has not had any discussions with the United. A feasibility study for a Prince George’s stadium found it would generate between $65 million and $80 million a year in economic impact.

Dixon wrote the study showed the the United “product considerable economic benefit and tax revenue for the state and for the local government in which the stadium would be built.”"