FC Dallas Stadium

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FC Dallas Stadium
FC Dallas Stadium logo.png
Pizza Hut Park 2006 MLS Cup.jpg
Former names Frisco Soccer & Entertainment Complex (2004-2005)
Pizza Hut Park (2005-2012)
FC Dallas Stadium (2012-present)
Location 9200 World Cup Way, Ste 202
Frisco, TX 75034-4958
Coordinates 33°9′16″N 96°50′7″W / 33.15444°N 96.83528°W / 33.15444; -96.83528Coordinates: 33°9′16″N 96°50′7″W / 33.15444°N 96.83528°W / 33.15444; -96.83528
Broke ground February 18, 2004
Opened August 6, 2005
Owner City of Frisco
Operator Frisco Soccer, LP
Surface Grass (Tifway 419)
Construction cost $80 million
($94 million in 2013 dollars[1])
Architect HKS, Inc.
General contractor Lee Lewis Construction, Inc.[2]
Capacity 20,500[3]
Field dimensions 117 by 74 yards (107 m × 68 m)
Tenants
FC Dallas (MLS) (2005–present)
Frisco ISD teams (2005–present)
NCAA Division I Football Championship (2010–2015)

FC Dallas Stadium (formerly Pizza Hut Park) is a soccer-specific stadium with a 20,500-seat capacity, built and owned by the city of Frisco, Texas. Its primary tenant is Major League Soccer (MLS) team FC Dallas, which relocated from the Cotton Bowl in central Dallas to the fast-growing suburb, and Frisco ISD high school football games. In 2005, the naming rights to the facility were acquired by the large pizza chain Pizza Hut whose corporate headquarters are in Plano, Texas (a northern Dallas suburb). On January 7, 2012, the naming rights sponsorship ended and the facility is renamed as "FC Dallas Stadium".[4]

Contents

History [edit]

The stadium, which cost approximately $80 million, opened on August 6, 2005 with a match between FC Dallas and the MetroStars, which ended in a 2–2 draw. When first designed, the stadium's original seating capacity was 20,500 in a U-shaped design with one end of the stadium having a permanent stage for hosting concerts. Like many of the soccer-specific stadiums being built around the country, it is expected that the stadium will make a significant amount of revenue by hosting mid-sized concerts, as well as various other sporting events, such as high-school football games. The stadium includes 18 luxury suites as well as a private 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) stadium club.

The stadium played host to the 2005 MLS Cup final, seeing the Los Angeles Galaxy defeat the New England Revolution 1–0 in overtime for their second MLS Cup. It was also selected to host the 2006 MLS Cup, which ended 1–1 after extra time with the Houston Dynamo defeating the New England Revolution 4–3 on penalty kicks.

The complex also has an additional 17 regulation size, stadium-quality soccer fields (both grass and artificial turf) outside the main stadium. These fields are for practice by FC Dallas, matches for the FC Dallas reserve squad, and for hosting youth soccer tournaments. Youth tournaments that have made use of the complex include Dallas Cup, Olympic Development Program National Championships, and the USYSA National Championships.

Former branding

Nicknames for Pizza Hut Park included PHP, the Hut, and The Oven, the latter referring to Texas' summer climate during afternoon games (and also because the field is well below ground level). On January 7, 2012, the contract linking the pizza franchise with the stadium expired and the site has been renamed FC Dallas Stadium.[4]

Notable events [edit]

  • Starting in 2008, Pizza Hut Park became the new venue for Christian radio station 94.9FM KLTY's Celebrate Freedom (presented by The Luis Palau Evangelical Association) which took place on June 27–28, 2008.
  • On December 12 and 14, 2008, Pizza Hut Park hosted the NCAA Men's College Cup. In the semifinals, North Carolina defeated Wake Forest and Maryland defeated St. John's.[6]Maryland defeated North Carolina 1-0 in the NCAA division I championship on December 14, 2008.
  • On August 5, 2010, Pizza Hut Park hosted a friendly match between FC Dallas and Inter Milan, fresh off victory in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final.[7] The game drew a single-game attendance record for the park with 21,193 spectators. The game ended in a 2 - 2 draw.
  • On March 19, 2011, FC Dallas opened the 2011 season against the Chicago Fire with a 1 - 1 tie. The game was the team's first ever regular season sellout (20,145 spectators).
  • The May 1, 2011, FC Dallas game against the Los Angeles Galaxy broke the record for largest single-game attendance originally set the previous year against Inter Milan. The game drew a record 21,867 fans, but most left due to a one hour rain delay in the 83rd minute. FC Dallas won the game 2 - 1 thanks to a Brek Shea goal after the one hour delay.
  • The final event under the "Pizza Hut Park" name was the NCAA Division I Football Championship game on January 7, 2012, in which North Dakota State defeated Sam Houston State 17–6.
  • On July 28, 2012, FC Dallas again set a single-game attendance record at FC Dallas Stadium, once again vs. the LA Galaxy. The record crowd of 22,565 saw the Galaxy defeat Dallas 1-0, virtually ending Dallas' hopes of a playoff berth.
  • On December 19, 2012, the NCAA announced that it had extended its contract with FC Dallas Stadium to host the NCAA Division I Football Championship game through the 2015 season.[9]

Dr. Pink Field [edit]

North of the main stadium is Dr. Pink Field, a mini-stadium named after former Frisco doctor Dr. Erwin G. Pink.[10] The field is used for Frisco ISD high school football and soccer.

Dr. Pink Field also hosts games for the Frisco Griffins Rugby Club.[11] The Griffins generally draw an attendance of a few hundred people per game.[12]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Events and tenants
Preceded by
Cotton Bowl
Home of
FC Dallas

2005–present
Succeeded by
current
Preceded by
The Home Depot Center
Host of the MLS Cup
2005, 2006
Succeeded by
RFK Stadium
Preceded by
Finley Stadium
Host of the NCAA Division I Football Championship
2010–2015
Succeeded by
current
Preceded by
SAS Soccer Park
Host of the College Cup
2008
Succeeded by
WakeMed Soccer Park