Real estate developer Jordan Tampien and his wife, Whitney, have signed on to the ownership group for the United Soccer League Spokane expansion clubs.

“It just seemed like a fantastic opportunity,” says Jordan Tampien. “We need something like (USL Spokane) downtown to catalyze it even more.”

Ryan Harnetiaux, who with his wife Katie made up the initial USL Spokane ownership group, Aequus Sports LLC, says the Tampiens are strong additions to the group.

“Jordan is someone who has invested in the Spokane core,” says Ryan Harnetiaux. “We were taken with his infectious energy and level of excitement for his projects and Spokane.”

Tampien declines to disclose terms of the ownership contract. He is the co-founder and owner of Spokane-based 4 Degrees Real Estate and has developed several projects throughout Spokane. 

Tampien says his role will be more focused on marketing and strategy. His goal will be to connect the USL Spokane teams to the Spokane community.

“Spokane is already a great opportunity for sports,” he says. “It’s a community that adopts. Gonzaga is a great example of that.”

In March of 2021, the Downtown Spokane Partnership and the Tampa, Florida-based USL aired a proposal for a new 5,000 seat stadium to be built in downtown Spokane, replacing the Spokane Public Schools-owned Joe Albi Stadium in northwest Spokane. Two months later, the proposal for the replacement stadium on the North Bank site was approved by the school district, which will own the stadium. Construction began in the fall of 2021 and is expected to be completed next fall, and the Spokane Public Facilities District will manage the stadium on behalf of the school district.

The Harnetiauxs were introduced in October to the Spokane community as the USL Spokane club owners.

Last week, USL announced Spokane will be one of several cities to host a team in the newly formed USL Super League, a professional women’s soccer league.

The Tampiens, who have an 8-year-old daughter named Logan, say the addition of a professional women’s league sweetened the deal for the pair.

“That’s where we saw a ton of opportunity,” Jordan Tampien says.

USL Spokane expects to make several key announcements over the summer about the teams, including a logo, names, jerseys, and coaching staff, he says.