FIU Stadium

FIU Stadium
"The Cage"
Former names	FIU Community Stadium (1995–2001)
Location	11200 Southwest 8th Street Miami, FL 33199
Coordinates	25°45′9″N 80°22′40″W
Broke ground	July 24, 1994
Opened	September 24, 1995
Expanded	2001 and 2008
Owner	Florida International University
Operator	Florida International University
Surface	FieldTurf
Construction cost	$54 million USD ($82.4 million in 2012 dollars)
Architect	BEA Architects with Rossetti Architects
General Contractor	Odebrecht Construction
Capacity	23,500
Record attendance	22,682 (2011-10-01)
Tenants
FIU Golden Panthers (NCAA) (1995-present) Track and Field (1995–2006) Football (2002–present) Miami FC (USL) (2009) CONCACAF Gold Cup (2009, 2011)

FIU Stadium, popularly known as "The Cage", is the on-campus American football stadium of Florida International University in Miami, Florida, United States. It is the home field of the FIU Golden Panthers football team. The stadium opened in 1995, replacing nearby Tamiami Field, which was used for many years as a university recreation field and by local high school football teams. When FIU began its football program in 2002, FIU Stadium became the home venue for the team.

FIU Stadium is nicknamed "The Cage" by FIU students and alumni. FIU Stadium was designed by Rossetti Architects and boasts a seating capacity of 23,500. FIU Stadium is the southernmost NCAA Division I football stadium on the American mainland. Only the Hawaii Warriors's Aloha Stadium is further south. The largest attended game was on October 1, 2011 versus Duke University with an attendance of 22,682; FIU lost 27–31.

History

Old FIU Stadium: 1995 to 2007

FIU Stadium broke ground on July 24, 1994 and opened on September 24, 1995 as FIU Community Stadium. The stadium opened as a 7,000-seat football and track stadium. It was built as a joint venture between FIU, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami-Dade Parks, and the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair. The stadium was inaugurated by the Miami Palmetto High School marching band.

In 2001, FIU Stadium had its first expansion. In anticipation of the inaugural FIU Golden Panthers football season in Fall 2002, additional bleachers were added around the periphery of the track field. This expansion increased the stadium's capacity to 18,000 seats. The bleachers, however, could be moved or removed altogether depending on the use of the stadium.

New FIU Stadium

FIU Stadium during the 2011 Homecoming game versus Duke University

Beginning in March 2007, FIU Stadium underwent a major change. The west, south and east sides of FIU Stadium were taken down and construction began on the new, permanent stadium. The expansion was completed in September 2008, for the 2008 football season. Upon completion, seating capacity was increased to 23,500, including 1,400 club seats.[1] In addition, the stadium has a 6,500-square-foot (600 m²) Panther Club on the ground level, an upper concourse for additional fan seating and concessions, a new press box, new lighting, a jumbotron scoreboard, new coaches' offices, locker rooms, expansion of the weight room, and 19 suites. Seating includes chairback seats and bench seating, all with backrests for fan convenience. The new stadium was designed by Rossetti Architects and was designed to be built in phases to a final seating capacity of 45,00 seats.

The new stadium opened for FIU’s 2008 football season against the South Florida Bulls on September 20, which they lost by a close 17–9 before a crowd of 16,717. Their first home win in the new stadium came on October 11, 2008, at the following home game, against Sun Belt rival Middle Tennessee, 31–21. FIU went 3–2 at home in the first year at the rebuilt stadium.

During construction of the new stadium during the 2007 season, the Golden Panthers played in the Miami Orange Bowl, with the final college game of the Orange Bowl's history being won by FIU 38–19 on December 1, 2007 against North Texas. It was their only win that year, going 1–11 overall. With the removal of the track in 2007, the artificial turf field now meets the dimensions prescribed by FIFA for a full soccer field. Since then, the stadium has been used by Miami FC and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009 and 2011.

Since the 2008 season, FIU Stadium is now solely used by the football team as the FIU track and field teams no longer use the facility. In April 2011, the field was named Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium after alumnus David F. Alfonso. In September 2011, plans were announced to expand the stadium for the 2012 season, by removing the last remnants of the original 1995 stadium on the north side, and complete the bowl around the field.

Seating capacity

Years	Stadium capacity
1995–2001	7,000
2002–2008	18,000
2008–present	23,500

Transportation

Miami-Dade Transit serves FIU Stadium with Metrobus lines 8, 11, 24, and 71. Bus lines 8, 11 and the 24 connect FIU Stadium directly with Downtown Miami and Brickell. For students at the Biscayne Bay Campus, the FIU Golden Panther Express offers direct bus service to FIU Stadium from BBC. Additionally, FIU Stadium has multiple bike racks for fans traveling by bicycle.

For fans arriving by car, parking at the stadium is free for everyone. Tailgate parking areas around the stadium open to fans six hours before the game's kickoff.

Stadium expansion

FIU Stadium under construction in November 2007.

FIU student section at the 2008 new stadium inaugural game versus South Florida

In 2007, the university announced a major expansion and redesign for FIU Stadium. The redesign of FIU Stadium would increase the stadium's capacity to 45,000 fans, to be built in phases. In September 2008, the first phase was opened, demolishing a large portion of the original 1995 stadium. Phase one increased the stadium's capacity to 23,500 fans from 18,000. The following are completed and planned expansions to be completed through four separate construction phases starting in 2007.

Phase one: September 2008 (complete)

• Seating capacity to 23,500
• 1,400 club seats
• 6,500 square-foot Stadium Club
• Upper concourse
• New lighting
• New coaches offices
• Expanded locker rooms
• Expanded weight room
• 19 suites

Phase two: July 2009 (complete)

• 2-story R. Kirk Landon Football Fieldhouse overlooking stadium

FIU named the new two-story, 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m²) headquarters of its football program after trustee R. Kirk Landon, in appreciation of his $1 million donation to Golden Panthers football.

The hub of the fieldhouse is a 14,000-square-foot (1,300 m²) weight room that all FIU student-athletes will use for strength and conditioning. The facility also includes 8,500 square feet (790 m²) of locker rooms, an equipment room, full-service athletic training facility, ticket office, merchandise area and an FIU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Phase three: September 2012 (planned)

Phase three includes a seating capacity increase and expansion of the northern side of stadium including additional suites, press boxes, and a second stadium club. Currently, the north side of the stadium is bleachers that are remaining from the original 1995 stadium. Phase three would demolish the bleachers and complete the ring around the field of the stadium. Construction is due to begin in Spring 2012, and is expected to be finished by September 2012 for the 2012 football season.

Phase four: TBD (planned)

Phase four of construction to FIU Stadium is contingent upon fanbase growth and demand. Projections call for construction in the future, but could be depending on the continued growth of FIU Football.

• Seating capacity will increase to 45,000.
• Expanded upper concourse
• Construction of additional luxury suites and club seats
• Restaurant overlooking the field
• Main Street FIU
• 2-story expansion of fieldhouse

Traditions

Resting on a concrete foundation, the stadium seating areas are made of steel and aluminum, which makes the stadium very loud when fans stomp, jump and cheer. Panther fans shout "Rattle the Cage!" and fans will stomp and jump in unison on the bleachers creating a very loud reverberation throughout the stadium. The Rattling of the Cage is done throughout the game, notably while the team is on defense, and during the famous "F-F, I-I, U-U, FIU!" cheer.

Attendance records

On October 1, 2011 FIU Stadium drew its largest attendance in school history. A crowd of 22,268 came to watch the Panthers play Duke University for the 2011 FIU Homecoming. Additionally, the Goodyear Blimp made its first appearance at FIU Stadium, flying over the stadium throughout the game. The iconic Miami Tower in Downtown Miami was also lit in blue and gold throughout the week of September 26 to October 1, 2011 in honor of FIU's homecoming game.

Miami FC plays the Impact de Montréal during their first home game at FIU Stadium in 2009.

Highest Attendance at FIU Stadium

Rank	Attendance	Date	Game result
1	22,682	Oct. 1, 2011	FIU 27, Duke 31 (2011 Homecoming)
2	20,205	Sept. 17, 2011	FIU 17, UCF 10
3	19,872	Sept. 11, 2010	FIU 14, Rutgers 19
4	17,568	Sept. 1, 2011	FIU 41, North Texas 16
5	17,378	Nov. 12, 2011	FIU 41, Florida Atlantic 7 (Shula Bowl X)
6	17,314	Aug. 9, 2002	FIU 27, Saint Peter's 3 (Team's inaugural game)
7	17,301	Nov. 6, 2010	FIU 42, Louisiana-Monroe 35 (2010 Homecoming)
8	16,780	Sept. 24, 2011	FIU 31, Louisiana-Lafayette 36
9	16,730	Dec. 3, 2005	FIU 35, Middle Tennessee 31
10	16,717	Sept. 20, 2008	FIU 9, South Florida 17 (New stadium inaugural game)

See also

• Golden Panthers
• Golden Panthers Football
• Shula Bowl (FIU vs Florida Atlantic annual rivalry game)
• University Park Stadium (FIU Baseball)
• U.S. Century Bank Arena (FIU Basketball)

External links

• FIU Stadium Construction- Official Website
• FIU Facilities Planning & Construction Site