Toyota Stadium (Texas)

History

Toyota Stadium was the third MLS soccer-specific stadium to be built after Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (1999) and Dignity Health Sports Park near Los Angeles (2003). It cost approximately $80 million and opened on August 6, 2005, with a match between FC Dallas and the New York Red Bulls, which ended in a 2–2 draw. The stadium originally seated 20,500 in a U-shaped design with the north end including a permanent covered stage for hosting concerts, similar to SeatGeek Stadium near Chicago, which opened one year after Toyota Stadium (which Chicago Fire FC eventually left). Although it was then hoped the permanent stage would help the stadium increase revenue by hosting mid-sized concerts, the design proved unpopular and other MLS clubs opted not to include permanent stages in their new stadiums, leaving Toyota Stadium’s design looking dated. There was widespread support among club supporters for the stage to be removed and replaced with a full stand, which eventually led the city to do exactly that in the major redevelopment of the stadium announced in 2024. The stadium includes 18 luxury suites as well as a private 6000 sqft stadium club.

The stadium played host to the 2005 MLS Cup final, seeing the LA Galaxy defeat the New England Revolution 1–0 in extra time 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. In 2016, FC Dallas hosted and won the U.S. Open Cup Final, also against the Revolution.

Toyota Soccer Center

The complex also includes Toyota Soccer Center which has an additional 17 regulation size, lighted, stadium-quality soccer fields (both grass and artificial turf) outside the stadium. These fields are used for practice by FC Dallas, the FC Dallas reserve squad and academy, adult leagues and youth tournaments. Youth tournaments that have made use of the complex include Dallas Cup, Olympic Development Program National Championships, Generation Adidas Cup, USYSA National Championships, and MLS Next Cup.

Stadium name

From 2005 until January 2012, the naming rights to the facility were held by national pizza chain Pizza Hut, which is headquartered in nearby Plano, and the stadium was known as Pizza Hut Park. 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). In 2012 the contract linking the pizza franchise with the stadium expired, and the stadium was renamed FC Dallas Stadium.

In 2013 FC Dallas reached an agreement with Gulf States Toyota Distributors, headquartered in Houston to rename it Toyota Stadium, with the 17 practice fields around the stadium to be called Toyota Soccer Center.

Renovation and expansion

2018 renovation

In 2018 a $55 million renovation of the south end of the stadium was completed. Additions included new field access tunnels, locker rooms, a press conference room, team store, and a multi-tiered viewing stand that replaced the old bleacher section. The project also included a European-style roof built over the south end of the stadium.

One of the more notable additions was the National Soccer Hall of Fame, which included the National Soccer Hall of Fame Experience and the 19,350 square-foot National Soccer Hall of Fame Club. This addition made Toyota Stadium the first league sports hall of fame to be built within a stadium.

Even with the renovations, many club supporters wanted roof structures to be built over the west and east stands to provide shade during the brutal Texas summers. However, those projects were postponed until 2024, when the City of Frisco approved a larger renovation project addressing these issues.

“New Toyota Stadium” project

After 20 new MLS stadiums were built since 2005 and facing criticism that Toyota Stadium was dated (only LA Galaxy play in an older soccer-specific stadium), the City of Frisco approved a major $182 million redevelopment project in 2024, an upgrade so extensive that it was officially branded “New Toyota Stadium.” Improvements include three new clubs, renovated stadium entrances, the removal of the unpopular north end concert stage, a new standing-only section, the largest LED video board of any soccer-specific stadium in the nation, replacing all the original 2005 seats, new sound system, European-style roof structures covering the east, west, and north stands (that will provide much-needed shade for supporters), and replacing the original light towers with LED systems built into the new roof structures. Once completed, the stadium capacity will increase by 2,000 to 22,500.

The last phase of the project will include over 1.2 million square feet of office space, a 200-room upscale hotel, a 200-unit multifamily high-rise building, and 30,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

The construction will be carried out in phases, with work on the east side of the stadium commencing following the FCS Championship game in January 2025. The project is scheduled to be completed before the start of the 2028 FC Dallas season. The initial phase of development will see stadium capacity drop to about 11,000 seats.

In addition to the renovation project, FC Dallas signed a lease extension to keep the club in Frisco through 2057.

National Soccer Hall of Fame

In 2015 plans were announced that the stadium would be the new home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame (NSHOF) which was completed in 2018. The Hall of Fame has two components – the NSHOF Experience and the NSHOF Club. The Experience houses the museum and serves as the location for the Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony. The Club includes specialty seating for season ticket holders for all FC Dallas home matches, as well as multiple event spaces that function as food and beverage hubs on game days. The NSHOF includes soccer memorabilia, modern technology, and virtual reality exhibits.

Notable events

College football

• Beginning in 2010, the stadium became the new host of the NCAA Division I Football Championship, the title game of college football's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). The contract, originally for the 2010 through 2012 seasons, has been extended three times: first through the 2015 season, next through the 2019 season, and most recently through the 2024 season with an option for the 2025 season. The game had been played for the previous 13 seasons in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• The Frisco Bowl postseason college football game had its inaugural game played at the stadium on December 20, 2017. As of 2021 the bowl continues to be held annually.
• The 2020 edition of the New Mexico Bowl, between the University of Hawaii and University of Houston, was scheduled in Toyota Stadium for December 24, 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions in New Mexico.
• In 2021, the Frisco Football Classic was held in Toyota Stadium between North Texas Mean Green and Miami RedHawks. The NCAA approved the bowl game in order to accommodate all 83 bowl-eligible teams; otherwise, one bowl-eligible team would not have been selected for a bowl game. The added bowl game essentially serves as a replacement of the canceled San Francisco Bowl.

Soccer

• In December 2008, the stadium hosted the NCAA Men's College Cup. In the semifinals, North Carolina defeated Wake Forest, and Maryland defeated St. John's. Maryland defeated North Carolina in the final.
• On August 5, 2010, a then-record crowd of 21,193 saw FC Dallas and Inter Milan, fresh off victory in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final, play to a 2–2 exhibition tie.
• 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).
• On July 28, 2012, FC Dallas set a single-game attendance record of 22,565 when the visiting LA Galaxy defeated Dallas 1–0.
• The stadium played host to the inaugural men's soccer tournament of the American Athletic Conference.
• The stadium played host to matches in the 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• The stadium also hosted the 2016 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifier. It also hosted the second leg of the 2016 Men's Olympic Qualifying Playoff between the United States and Colombia.
• Toyota Stadium made international headlines in 2023 when Lionel Messi, widely considered the greatest soccer player in history, played his first away match for Inter Miami at the venue in a Leagues Cup match. The match ended 4-4 after normal time, with Inter Miami winning 5-3 on penalties to advance.
• Toyota Stadium hosted the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs in March 2024 to determine the last two teams to qualify for the 2024 Copa América.

Concerts

In August 2008, the stadium hosted the heavy metal/hard rock festival tour Ozzfest. It had regularly hosted concerts by Jimmy Buffett. It was also the site for several editions of Edgefest organized by former Dallas alternative rock station KDGE.

Notable concerts

Dr. Pink Field

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

Dr. Pink Field formerly hosted games for the Frisco Griffins Rugby Club. The Griffins drew an attendance of a few hundred people per game.

Gallery

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Notes

References

References

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