FIU Stadium

  • FIU Golden Panthers ( NCAA)
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011

The FIU Stadium ( or simply called " The Cage " ) is the stadium of the football team, the FIU Golden Panthers, the sports department at Florida International University. The stadium is located in the CDP University Park near Miami, Florida and was founded in 1995, opened at that time still under the name of FIU Community Stadium. By 2001, it retained this name.

History

After designing the stadium by Rossetti Architects and the subsequent 54 million USD expensive construction by the construction company Odebrecht in 1994, the FIU Stadium was opened in 1995 solemnly. In the same year the matches at the nearby Tamiami Field was set and a large part of the sports departments based there moved into the new stadium. As the Florida International University in August 2002 for the first time aufstellte a football team, the team has been assigned to the FIU Stadium as home ground. Shortly before, the number of seats was increased from 7,000 to 21,010.

Renovation (2007-2012)

In March 2007, we started with the first steps of lasting until 2012 renovations, which are divided into four separate sections. Right at the beginning of the work, the capacity of seats was reduced from first 21,010 to 20,000 ( inclusive club seats ).

In September 2008, the first phase of work was completed. These included, in addition to the reduction of seats and the construction of 1,400 seats in the also newly established " Panthers Club " on the long side of the stadium, a host of other enhancements. These include a new press box, a new stadium lighting, a JumboTron video wall, new coaches offices, as well as the expansion of the locker rooms and fitness rooms and the construction of 19 suites. Furthermore, were respected in the individual seats and benches in the stands on the seatback to increase the comfort of the visitors.

After surrounding the pitch track removed during the first phase and the total surface area was equipped with a high-quality artificial turf, the athletics teams of the University also had to back out of the stadium. With the artificial turf and thereby also extensible playing surface, the stadium also meets the prescribed requirements of FIFA for an entire football field. The FIU Stadium was also intended as a venue of MLS clubs, but this did not materialize.

The second phase of the renovation work involves the construction of a four storey building, from which one can look out over the entire board. Work began in early summer 2009 and will be completed in the summer of the same year after the construction of the building.

The next phase of the renovation from 2010 to 2011 included a further reduction of the seats and the expansion of the northern part of the stadium for a student sector. Further facilities include offices to the accommodation and also financial accounting systems are connected. In addition, to find a place in almost 9,300 m² complex study and lecture halls.

The fourth and final part of the renewal of which is expected to be completed in 2012, includes mainly the increase of seats to more than double to 45,000. In addition, some minor new or planned modifications, such as the construction of an alumni center and the construction of a restaurant in the upper floors of which you can overlook the playing field.

Football

After the stadium was commissioned after removing the carrier and the laying of the artificial turf of the FIFA, could you officially on the field, which was previously reserved for the football team, unsubscribe football games. The Miami FC of the USL First Division regarded as second-rate ( USL -1 ) was the first football club, who was allowed to call the stadium in 2009 as a home.

Furthermore, it was " The Cage " is selected as the venue of games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009. On July 10, the two group matches of Group A, Costa Rica were in FIU Stadium against Canada ( 2-2) and El Salvador against Jamaica (0-1) discharged.

Trivia

  • The FIU Stadium since its construction was sold out with 21,010 seats once. This happened on 27 November 2004 in the football game against the college football team of the Florida A & M University, the FIU Golden Panthers won with 40:23.
  • The stadium is the home ground of the " NCAA Division I" southernmost on the U.S. mainland. Only the Aloha Stadium, home of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, the sports department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is located further south.
National Collegiate Athletic Association 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup American Football Census-designated place Major League Soccer Florida A&M University
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