MLS commish Don Garber fulfills dream of NYCFC stadium in Queens

Don Garber could be on the cusp of accomplishing his dream.

The MLS commissioner grew up in Queens, and on Tuesday Mayor Eric Adams announced his formal support for a new stadium for NYCFC in conjunction with an affordable housing project and hotel, all in the vicinity of Citi Field and Flushing Meadows. Though the process still has to pass ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) muster, Garber is ecstatic about the prospects.

“My grandparents moved to Flushing when they came to the country. I went to Mayor Adams’ alma mater, Bayside, for high school,” Garber told The Post. “The idea of having one of the most incredible soccer stadiums that will ever be built in our country in my backyard is something that is really close to my heart.

“This project was 12 years in the making. When we were looking to expand MLS to New York City — we already had the New York Red Bulls, who play in New Jersey — before we even had an owner for the new team, we already had a plan to get a soccer stadium built.”

The commissioner remembers showing up at community meetings more than a decade ago, bringing his parents’ license plate from the 1964 World’s Fair or Bayside high school records in tow to prove his neighborhood bona fides.

The 65-year-old Garber, who has served as MLS commissioner since 1999, had considerable praise for Francisco Moya, a city councilman who has worked relentlessly on the project for a long time, Mayor Adams and the ownership of NYCFC for their tenacity.

“That stadium plan started with Mayor Bloomberg’s administration on various sites throughout New York City, whether it was on the west side of Manhattan or Randall’s Island or a very focused way in Flushing Meadow park,” Garber said. “We were then able to get our great ownership group in the City Football Group, who is so well-connected here in the city, and so focused on how their club could be a positive contributor in the community when they took this project over. It was really a 10-year quest. We couldn’t be more excited about the culmination of this dream.”

NYCFC are 80 percent owned by City Football Group — a conglomerate majority-owned by Abu Dhabi United Group — and 20 percent owned by the Yankees owners’ Yankee Global Enterprises.

Earlier this week, The Post reported that the stadium, which is slated to cost $780 million, would be expected to open by 2027.