Toyota Park

This article is about the soccer stadium near Chicago, Illinois. For the two soccer stadiums in Texas see Toyota Stadium and Toyota Field. For other uses, see Toyota Park (disambiguation).
Toyota Park
Former names Bridgeview Stadium
Location 7000 South Harlem Avenue
Bridgeview, Illinois 60455
Coordinates 41°45′53″N 87°48′22″W / 41.76472°N 87.80611°W / 41.76472; -87.80611Coordinates: 41°45′53″N 87°48′22″W / 41.76472°N 87.80611°W / 41.76472; -87.80611
Owner Village of Bridgeview
Operator Andell Holdings
Capacity Soccer: 20,000[1]
Concerts: 28,000
Field size 120 x 75 yards
Surface Kentucky Bluegrass
Construction
Broke ground November 30, 2004
Opened June 11, 2006
Construction cost $98 million
($115 million in 2016 dollars[2])
Architect Rossetti Architects
Project manager ICON Venue Group[3]
Structural engineer John A. Martin & Associates[4]
Services engineer A. Epstein & Sons International[4]
General contractor Turner Construction[3]
Tenants
Chicago Fire (MLS) (2006–present)
Chicago Machine (MLL) (2007–2009)
Chicago Red Stars (WPS, NWSL) (2009–2010, 2016–present)
Chicago Bliss (LFL) (2011–2012, 2015–present)
Roosevelt University Lakers men's and women's soccer (NAIA)
Northwestern Wildcats men's and women's soccer (NCAA) (2015)

Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois, about twelve miles southwest of downtown Chicago. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club of Major League Soccer (MLS), the Chicago Bliss of the Legends Football League (LFL), and the Chicago Red Stars[5] of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The Red Stars had played at the park too as members of Women's Professional Soccer. The stadium has hosted the Chicago Machine of Major League Lacrosse. Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million, with a stadium capacity of 20,000. The facility opened June 11, 2006.[6]

Stadium

Toyota Park in March 2013

Designed to incorporate traditional stadium features from both American and European facilities, Toyota Park includes predominantly covered seating, a brick facade and stone entry archway, and first rows placed fewer than three yards from the field. It includes forty two executive suites, six larger party suites, the Illinois Soccer Hall of Fame, and the Fire club offices, as well as a large stadium club/banquet room measuring over 9,000 square feet (840 m2).

A practice facility with two fields (one of natural grass; the other of artificial turf) for the Fire club and its youth programs lies adjacent to the stadium. The stadium's design intends future expansion of 50% more seating at negligible expense. Its 120 yard by 75 yard natural grass field's $1.7 million turf management system comprises full heating, drainage, and aeration capabilities.

The stadium's design includes a permanent stage, to facilitate not only hosting concerts but also quick conversions from one configuration to the other. A typical conversion from soccer to stage takes no more than eighteen hours. The field accommodates eight thousand additional chairback seats for concerts and other stage events.

In 2006, Toyota entered into a ten-year naming rights agreement and renamed the new stadium Toyota Park.[7]

The concert stage at Toyota Park, as seen during the 2010 B96 Pepsi Summer Bash

Major soccer events

On September 10, 2008 the stadium hosted a 2010 World Cup qualifying match between USA and Trinidad and Tobago resulting in a 3–0 victory for the US team.[8] On November 27, 2010, Toyota Park was the venue for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match between USA and Italy; USA defeated Italy 1–0 and advanced to the World Cup.[9][10]

Toyota Park was the venue for the 2006 MLS All-Star Game in which the MLS side defeated Chelsea F.C. 1–0.[11]

The stadium also hosted the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup's final in which Chicago Fire defeated Los Angeles Galaxy 3–1.[12]

Toyota Park hosts annual friendly matches between Chicago Fire and the popular European and Mexican clubs, which in the past included A.C. Milan, Everton, C.D. Guadalajara, Club America, Santos Laguna and others.

Toyota Park hosted four matches during the group stage of the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship.

Other sports events

Toyota Park hosted its first international rugby match in 2006, United States vs Munster. In June 2008 the stadium hosted three matches of the Churchill Cup, including United States v. Canada, England v. Scotland, and Ireland v. Argentina. On June 6, 2009 the stadium hosted a 2009 mid-year rugby test series match between United States and Wales in a warmup match for the USA in its campaign to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[13] Toyota Park also serves as the home site for Roosevelt University men's and women's soccer matches.[14]

Music events

Since 2006,[15] Toyota Park has been the host venue for Chicago radio station B96's annual summer concert, The B96 Pepsi Summer Bash.[16] The Crossroads Guitar Festival was held here on July 28, 2007 and again on June 26, 2010. A new three day, all-electronic music festival, Future Sound Dance Music Festival, will be hosted at Toyota Park from May 24–26, 2013. The Chicago Open Air festival will be held there on July 15–17, 2016. This will be a 3-day rock festival put on by Danny Wimmer Presents.

Accessibility

Pace operates the #387 Toyota Park Express nonstop from the Midway Orange Line Station for Chicago Fire matches and special events.[17]

Chicago Fire provides luxury bus transportation from five different bar locations in the city to and from the games.[18]

Panoramic view of Toyota Park on June 8, 2013 during the MLS regular season match between Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers. Downtown Chicago is visible on the horizon on the left.

Economic development

In 2015, a Shell gas station and Circle K convenience store opened at the east end of the stadium's parking lot, accessible from Harlem Avenue.[19] In 2016, Bridgeview mayor Steven Landek announced plans for an inflatable sports dome to be built in the northern park of the lot, replacing the old sports dome that had collapsed in an ice storm.[20] Additionally, a $2.475 million transit center operated by Pace is under construction at the east end of the stadium's parking lot.[21][22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fun Within Reach". Toyota Park. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Toyota Park". Iconvenue.com. June 11, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Built for Sports and Showbiz". Sports Business Journal. Street's and Smith's. July 10, 2006. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Chicago Red Stars to Play 2016 Season at Toyota Park". Chicago Red Stars. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.worldofstadiums.com/north-america/united-states/illinois/toyota-park/
  7. ↑ "AEG and Toyota Announce Naming Rights Partnership for New Bridgeview Stadium". Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  8. ↑ "FIFA match report: USA vs. Trinidad and Tobago". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  9. ↑ uefa.com. "Italy fall to United States as lineup confirmed". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  10. ↑ FIFA.com. "FIFA USA beat Italy to seal final spot". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  11. ↑ mlssoccer.com. "MLS All-Star Game 2006". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  12. ↑ ussoccer.com. "Chicago Fire Defeat L.A. Galaxy, 3-1, to Win Fourth U.S. Open Cup Title". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  13. ↑ bbc.co.uk. "United States 15-48 Wales". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  14. ↑ "ATHLETIC FACILITIES". www.rooseveltlakers.com. Roosevelt University. Retrieved June 14, 2015. Men's and Women's Soccer Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL
  15. ↑ allaccess.com. "B96 Announces Summer Bash Lineup In Chicago". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  16. ↑ b96.radio.com. "B96 Pepsi SummerBash". Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  17. ↑ pacebus.com. "Toyota Park Express Bus Service". Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Chicago Fire: Take a Luxury Bus to the Match!". chicago-fire.com. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Circle K to arrive at Toyota Park". January 31, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Bridgeview plans new sports dome at Toyota Park". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Pace selects Toyota Park for new transit center" (PDF). October 2013.
  22. ↑ "Lipinski announces construction of new transit center at Toyota Park". November 12, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toyota Park (Bridgeview).
Preceded by
Soldier Field		 Home of
Chicago Fire
2006 – present 		Succeeded by
current home
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