America First Field
Kentucky Bluegrass | |
Construction | |
---|---|
Broke ground | August 12, 2006 |
Opened | October 9, 2008 |
Construction cost | $110 million[3] ($156 million in 2023 dollars[4]) |
Architect | Rossetti Architects |
Project manager | ICON Venue Group[5] |
Structural engineer | Martin & Associates[6] |
Services engineer | M-E Engineers, Inc.[6] |
General contractor | Layton-Turner Joint Venture[6] |
Tenants | |
Real Salt Lake (MLS) (2008–present) Utah Royals (NWSL) (2018–2020, 2024–present) |
America First Field (formerly Rio Tinto Stadium and referred to as The RioT) is an American soccer-specific stadium in Sandy, Utah, that serves as home stadium for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake and National Women's Soccer League club Utah Royals. The stadium opened on October 9, 2008, and seats 20,213 for soccer, but can be expanded to over 25,000 for concerts.[3]
The stadium hosted the
Rio Tinto's sponsorship of the stadium was set to expire in December of 2020 but retained its branding through 2021. Real Salt Lake sought a ten-year commitment from its next stadium naming rights partner.[7] In September 2022, RSL announced a naming rights agreement with America First Credit Union with the stadium renamed America First Field.[8]
Approval history
In 2005 a soccer-specific stadium for the team was approved for Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City. However, funding for the stadium was still hard to come by. A vote in early 2006 struck down a funding proposal for the stadium. However, Tom Dolan, the mayor of Sandy, said that he would not give up on his fight to approve the proposal in Sandy. The funding plan was revised, but was struck down later in 2006 over disagreements in the appropriation of millions of hotel-tax dollars for a financially unproven sports franchise. The proposal for Sandy was declared "dead" by Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts at that point, putting the team's future in doubt. Checketts said that he wanted the team to remain in Utah, but would sell it if a proposal was not put forward by August 12, 2006.
Parties from several cities, including Rochester, New York and St. Louis, Missouri, expressed interest in purchasing the franchise and moving it. Other stadium sites in the area were also proposed, including the
The stadium plan encountered difficulties however after the Debt Review Committee of Salt Lake County voted against the stadium proposal 4–0 on January 26, 2007, citing what they saw as Real Salt Lake's financial inviability as the reasoning behind the lack of support. County Mayor Corroon concurred with the DRC and the stadium plan was effectively killed on January 29, 2007. In response Real Salt Lake's owner announced the team would be sold and likely move out of the Salt Lake area after the 2007 season.[11]
The Sandy Stadium proposal was not completely dead, however: a new stadium proposal was made on February 2, that would divert 15 percent, roughly $2 million a year, of the county's hotel taxes to the stadium project beginning in July until 2017.[12] Such a deal would have to have been made by February 9, or the deal would have been completely off.[13] The bill was passed by the State Senate.[14]
After Governor Huntsman made a move that would allow the team to remain in Salt Lake County: the Utah House approved House bill 1SHB38, by a 48–24 margin, effectively approving $35 million towards the development of Real Salt Lake's new home. The governor was expected to sign the bill,[15] and ultimately did so.
Sandy City, along with the state of Utah and representatives of the team, finally came to an agreement regarding the placement of the Real stadium. The deal was shot down about a week prior to the agreement by the Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon saying it was too risky. However, Utah's governor, Jon Huntsman Jr. said that soccer was here to stay. The $110 million stadium was built in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City. Rossetti's California office was the architecture firm responsible for the design of the new stadium. The stadium's opening date was set for October 9, 2008, when Real Salt Lake hosted the New York Red Bulls.[16]
History
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2011) |
After considering sites in downtown
In response to the rejection of the stadium plan, local construction company Anderson Geneva offered the club 30 acres (12 ha) of land on which to build the stadium just east of Interstate 15 in Sandy for free, at an estimated loss on the price of the land at US$10 million. The move prompted the club to make a new proposal to the Utah State Senate on February 2, 2006, in which 15% of the hotel taxes collected in Salt Lake County between July 2007 and 2017, equaling about US$2 million a year, would be diverted to the project. The bill was passed by the Senate, allowing for the club to announce the commencement of building what was then known as "RSL Stadium".
The groundbreaking of the stadium took place on August 12, 2006, featuring elected leaders of the state of Utah, as well as team officials and the rosters of both Real Salt Lake and Spanish club
On September 28, 2008, it was announced that the naming rights to the stadium were sold to international mining company
Use
Club soccer
Because the stadium was under construction throughout 2008 and did not open until late in the year, most of Real Salt Lake's
On July 29, 2009, the stadium played host to the 2009 Major League Soccer All-Star Game between a team of MLS All-Stars and Premier League side Everton. The game initially ended as a 1–1 tie, leading to a penalty shootout in which the English side emerged as champions. It was the first time that a foreign team had defeated the All-Stars since the creation of the game.
Throughout 2010 and 2011, the stadium became one of the toughest venues to play at in Major League Soccer, with Real Salt Lake having an undefeated streak of 34 games at home. At the time, it was the longest undefeated streak achieved by any team in MLS history; the record has since been broken by the
On April 27, 2011, the stadium played host to the second leg of the
The stadium hosted the final of the
As home to the Utah Royals, America First Field also boasts hosting the second highest attendance in the NWSL, third highest of any professional women's team in America.[18][19]
In 2021, America First Field also hosted home matches for
International soccer
Since the stadium opened its doors, it has become a very popular place for the United States men's national soccer team to play matches against regional opponents. The first match held by the team at the stadium took place on September 9, 2009, against El Salvador, in a fourth-round qualifier for the 2010 FIFA World Cup; the game ended in a 2–1 victory for the home side in front of 19,000 spectators.[22] The team returned to the stadium on June 18, 2013, in a fourth-round qualifier game for the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Honduras; the home side once again won at the stadium, this time a 1–0 victory in front of 20,250 people.[23]
The stadium was used as a host stadium during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and hosted two back-to-back games for Group C on July 13, 2013.[24] In the first game, the United States defeated Cuba by a score of 4–1, while in the second, Costa Rica pulled out a 1–0 win against Belize; both games took place in front of a crowd of 17,597 spectators.[25]
On June 9, 2021, the USMNT defeated Costa Rica 4–0 in front of 19,007 fans at America First Field, in a friendly match played following the CONCACAF Nations League.
The United States women's national soccer team has also played three matches against international opponents at the stadium. The first game was played on March 31, 2010, as a friendly match against Mexico; in the first winter game ever played by the US team, the home side ended up winning the match 1–0, thanks to a second half goal by Abby Wambach.[26] The second game took place as another friendly match on June 30, 2012, against Canada; once again, the home side ended up winning the game, 2–1, in front of 16,800 spectators.[27] The third game was a friendly match on September 13, 2014, against Mexico; the home side ended up winning 8–0.[28]
Additionally, the stadium hosted the 4 knockout stage matches of the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship.[29] These included a 2–0 Honduras victory over the United States and a 2–0 Mexico victory over Canada in the semifinals, then a 2–0 United States victory over Canada in the third place game and a 2–0 Mexico victory over Honduras in the final.
American football
Since 2011, the stadium has played host to the XFINITY High School Football Challenge, a series of games that pits local teams Alta and Jordan against opponents from across the country. In the 2013 edition, the Alta Hawks took on the Bergen Catholic Crusaders of New Jersey, while the Jordan Beetdiggers faced the Allentown Redbirds, also of New Jersey. This game was discontinued after the 2013 edition.
The stadium has also hosted the Zion's Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl, a bowl game of the
Rugby
America First Field has been used on several occasions for rugby matches. The first rugby match in the stadium took place between college sides
Concerts
Date | Artist(s) | Opening act(s) | Tour | Tickets sold | Revenue | Additional notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 9, 2009 | The Eagles |
Michelle Branch | Long Road Out of Eden Tour | — | — | The first concert ever held at the stadium.[34] |
July 13, 2010 | Paul McCartney | — | Up and Coming Tour | 25,414 / 25,414 | $3,193,716 | This is the first time McCartney had ever done a show in the state of Utah.[35][36] |
September 22, 2010 | KISS | — | The Hottest Show on Earth Tour | — | — | This was the band's first show in the state in seven years. |
July 21, 2011 | Journey | Foreigner Night Ranger |
Eclipse Tour | — | — | |
July 28, 2012 | Neil Diamond | — | — | — | — | |
July 27, 2013 | Jason Aldean | Thomas Rhett Jake Owen |
2013 Night Train Tour | — | — |
Attendance records (soccer)
Real Salt Lake games
- As of 8 October 2023
Rank | Date | Game | Result | Attendance | Notes |
1 | August 6, 2022 | vs LAFC | L 1-4 | 21,810 | |
2 | August 26, 2023 | vs Houston Dynamo FC | L 0–3 | 21,471 | |
3 | September 1, 2018 | vs LA Galaxy | W 6–2 | 21,363 | |
4 | October 10, 2022 | vs Portland Timbers | W 3–1 | 21,333 | |
5 | October 7, 2023 | vs Sporting Kansas City | L 2–3 | 21,205 | |
6 | September 19, 2015 | vs LA Galaxy | W 3–0 | 21,004 | |
7 | July 4, 2015 | vs Orlando City SC | D 1–1 | 20,956 | |
8 | March 2, 2016 | vs Tigres UANL | D 1–1 | 20,921 | 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League
|
9 | September 25, 2019 | vs LA Galaxy | L 1–2 | 20,838 | |
10 | July 24, 2015 | vs Sporting Kansas City | W 2–1 | 20,809 |
Utah Royals games
- As of 14 April 2024
Rank | Date | Game | Result | Attendance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | March 16, 2024 | vs Chicago Red Stars | L 0–2 | 20,370 | Inaugural home game of revived franchise |
2 | April 14, 2018 | vs Chicago Red Stars | L 0–1 | 19,203 | Inaugural home game of original franchise |
3 | April 20, 2019 | vs Washington Spirit | W 1–0 | 18,015 | |
4 | May 3, 2019 | vs Chicago Red Stars | W 1–0 | 16,556 | |
5 | July 19, 2019 | vs Portland Thorns FC | D 2–2 | 15,931 | |
6 | September 8, 2018 | vs Chicago Red Stars | W 2–1 | 11,851 | |
7 | September 6, 2019 | vs Portland Thorns FC | W 1–0 | 10,897 | |
8 | July 27, 2019 | vs North Carolina Courage | L 1–2 | 10,545 | |
9 | May 11, 2019 | vs Houston Dash | L 1–2 | 10,138 | |
10 | September 21, 2019 | vs North Carolina Courage | L 0–1 | 9,946 |
International games
Men's
- As of 9 June 2021
Rank | Date | Game | Result | Attendance | Notes |
1 | September 4, 2015 | Mexico vs Trinidad and Tobago | 3–3 | 20,560 | Friendly match |
2 | June 18, 2013 | United States vs Honduras | 1–0 | 20,250 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF fourth round |
3 | September 5, 2009 | United States vs El Salvador | 2–1 | 19,066 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF fourth round |
4 | June 9, 2021 | United States vs Costa Rica | 4–0 | 19,007 | Friendly match |
5 | July 13, 2013 | United States vs Cuba | 4–1 | 17,597 | 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C |
Costa Rica vs Belize | 1–0 | ||||
6 | June 3, 2017 | United States vs Venezuela | 1–1 | 17,315 | Friendly match |
Women's
- As of 26 October 2023
Rank | Date | Game | Result | Attendance | Notes |
1 | June 30, 2012 | United States vs Canada | 2–1 | 16,805 | Friendly match |
2 | June 28, 2022 | United States vs Colombia | 2–0 | 16,077 | Friendly match |
3 | October 19, 2016 | United States vs Switzerland | 4–0 | 14,336 | Friendly match |
4 | June 7, 2018 | United States vs China | 1–0 | 13,230 | Friendly match |
5 | October 26, 2023 | United States vs Colombia | 0–0 | 13,058 | Friendly match |
6 | September 13, 2014 | United States vs Mexico | 8–0 | 8,849 | Friendly match |
7 | March 31, 2010 | United States vs Mexico | 1–0 | 3,732 | Friendly match |
Sponsorship
On September 20, 2008, it was announced that the naming rights to the stadium would be awarded to international mining company
Other major sponsors within the stadium include Maverik,
Transportation
The stadium is located near the interchange between
See also
References
- ^ "Real Salt Lake 2012 Media Guide" (PDF). Major League Soccer. March 5, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 1, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 28, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "Rio Tinto Stadium – Stadium Facts". Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Rio Tinto Stadium". iconvenue.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ a b c "McGraw-Hill Construction - Intermountain Construction - Real Salt Lake Rio Tinto Stadium". Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
- ^ "Real Salt Lake hire Playfly as club seeks stadium naming rights partner". Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ "America First Field is New Name for Real Salt Lake's Home | Real Salt Lake".
- ^ "Real Salt Lake joined by Real Madrid Saturday at 12:00 noon to break ground on Sandy stadium site". Major League Soccer. January 23, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ "Soccer Stadium Finally A ReALity". KUTV. Associated Press. August 15, 2006. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ "KSL Newsradio: Soccer stadium deal is dead". Deseretnews.com. January 29, 2007. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ^ Jensen, Derek P. (February 2, 2007). "Stadium plan: It's ba-a-ack!". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ^ "Stadium deal due by Friday—or else". Deseretnews.com. February 3, 2007. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ^ Walsh, Rebecca (February 6, 2007). "Senate paves way for a Sandy stadium". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ^ "Utah House approves stadium funds". Major League Soccer. January 23, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ "RSL confirms Oct. 9 stadium opening". The Salt Lake Tribune. August 5, 2008. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
- ^ "Rio Tinto Gets Naming Rights to New Real Soccer Stadium". The Salt Lake Tribune. September 28, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
- ^ "Attendance Project: NWSL – kenn.com blog". Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ "WNBA Turnstile Tracker: Attendance Down At End Of Regular Season". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps FC to make Rio Tinto Stadium and Sandy home for start of 2021 season | Real Salt Lake".
- ^ RSL Communications. "David Blitzer & Smith Entertainment Group to Purchase Real Salt Lake". rsl.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ Michael Black (September 6, 2009). "Soccer: U.S. salvages win over El Salvador". DeseretNews.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "Rio Tinto Stadium - US GOLD CUP". www.riotintostadium.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013.
- ^ "Gulf Daily News » Sports News » US and Costa Rica enter Gold Cup quarters". gulf-daily-news.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "USA Defeats Mexico 1–0 in First Ever-Snow Game For WNT". ussoccer.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Defeats Canada 2–1 in 2012 Olympic Send Off Match in Sandy, Utah". ussoccer.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. WNT Routs Mexico 8–0 as Hope Solo Earns Record 72nd Clean Sheet". ussoccer.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "Rio Tinto Stadium chosen to host U-23 Olympic qualifying semifinal, final in October". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
- ^ "BYU Claims 2014 Varsity Cup". Varsity Cup – Official Site. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "March 30th home opener moved to Rio Tinto stadium".
- ^ "Warriors rugby is Utah's hottest new sport". KSL. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ^ "Wild and Exciting Encounter Sees USA Over Toulouse". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "Eagles soar at Rio Tinto Stadium's first concert". Desert News. May 10, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "PAUL MCCARTNEY TO MAKE FIRST-EVER UTAH APPEARANCE IN RIO TINTO STADIUM CONCERT ON TUESDAY, JULY 13". AEG Presents. May 17, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "Sir Paul McCartney rocks Rio Tinto crowd". Deseret News. July 14, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- ^ "Real Salt Lake, Rio Tinto Agree To Stadium Naming-Rights Deal". SportsBusiness Daily. September 29, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
External links
- Stadium website
- Rio Tinto Stadium at StadiumDB.com
- MLS article on groundbreaking Archived August 20, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, August 12, 2006