History
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.
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.
Read more about this topic: FC Dallas Stadium
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“We don’t know when our name came into being or how some distant ancestor acquired it. We don’t understand our name at all, we don’t know its history and yet we bear it with exalted fidelity, we merge with it, we like it, we are ridiculously proud of it as if we had thought it up ourselves in a moment of brilliant inspiration.”
—Milan Kundera (b. 1929)
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
—John Adams (1735–1826)
“A man will not need to study history to find out what is best for his own culture.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)