History
For their first eleven seasons, the Rapids played at Mile High Stadium (1996-2000) and Invesco Field at Mile High (2001-2006). In 2004, the club and city announced a $130 million project that would include youth soccer fields, retail development, and a new Commerce City civic center. Construction began at the site, close to Denver's former Stapleton International Airport and bordered on the north and east by the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, to the south by 56th Avenue, and to the west by Quebec Street, in fall 2005. In November 2006, Dick's Sporting Goods signed a twenty-year deal for naming rights.
The stadium opened with an intrasquad scrimmage open only to Commerce City residents and season ticket holders. The first official match was played against DC United on April 7, 2007, with the Rapids winning, 2-1. Herculez Gomez scored the first goal at the stadium. In the stadium's inaugural year, it hosted the 2007 MLS All-Star Game as the MLS All-Stars defeated Scotland's Celtic FC.
The Rapids played their first playoff game at DSG Park on October 28, 2010; a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew. Two weeks later, a crowd of 17,779 was in attendance as the Rapids defeated the San Jose Earthquakes en route to their first-ever MLS Cup.
The stadium is owned by Commerce City and operated by Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) who also own the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and the Colorado Mammoth, and who is a co-owner of English Premier League club Arsenal F.C. via subsidiary. The estimated cost of this project was $131 million, with investment shared equally between the city and KSE.
Read more about this topic: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
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