FIU Stadium
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| FIU Stadium | |
|---|---|
| "The Cage" | |
| Location | University Park 11200 SW 8th St Miami, FL 33199 |
| Broke ground | 1994 |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Expanded | Fall 2008 |
| Owner | Florida International University |
| Operator | Florida International University |
| Surface | Field Turf |
| Construction cost | $54 million USD |
| Architect | Odebrecht Construction Rossetti Architects |
| Former names | FIU Community Stadium (1995-2001) |
| Tenants | FIU Golden Panthers (NCAA) (2002-Present) |
| Capacity | 23,500 (45,000 by 2010) 1,400 (club seats) |
FIU Stadium (or "The Cage") is the stadium for the Florida International University Golden Panthers football team, and is located in Miami, Florida. The facility opened in 1995, replacing nearby Tamiami Field, which was also used for many years as a university recreation field and by local high school football teams. When FIU began its football program in 2002, FIU Stadium became the home venue for the team and has remained that way since. As of the 2008 football season, FIU Stadium is solely used by the Golden Panthers football team as the FIU track and field teams no longer use the facility.
As a result of construction begun March 2007, the FIU Stadium is undergoing an expansion for the 2008 football season. Upon completion, seating capacity is increased to 23,500, including 1,400 club seats. In addition, the stadium will have a 6,500 square-foot Panther Club, an upper concourse, a new press box, new lighting, a jumbotron scoreboard, new coaches' offices, locker rooms, expansion of the weight room, and 19 suites. Seating will include chairback seats and bench seating, all with backrests for fan convenience. Additional phases of construction will include a student support complex and will bring the stadium’s seating capacity to approximately 45,000 by the 2010 football season.
The new stadium is scheduled to open for FIU’s 2008 football season against the University of South Florida. For the 2007 season, the Golden Panthers played in the Miami Orange Bowl, with the final college game of the stadium's history being won by FIU 38-19 on December 1, 2007 against North Texas.
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[edit] Stadium expansion
The following are planned expansions to be completed by the 2008 and 2010 football seasons respectively.[citation needed]
[edit] 2008 Football season
- Seating capacity to 18,000
- 1,400 club seats
- 6,500 square-foot Stadium Club
- Upper concourse
- New press box
FIU Stadium seating capacities
| 1995-2001 | 2002-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010- |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7,000 | 21,010 | 23,500 | 45,000 |
- New lighting
- New coaches offices
- Expanded locker rooms
- Expanded weight room
- 19 suites
[edit] 2010 Football season
- Seating capacity will increase to 45,000
- Addition of a 100,000 Square-foot Student Services Complex (2009 football season)
- Expanded upper concourse
- Construction of additional luxury suites and club seats
[edit] Other features
- Four-story fieldhouse
- FIU Alumni Center
- Restaurant overlooking the field
- Main Street FIU
[edit] Trivia
- The stadium is also often referred to as "The Cage" by the FIU student body and administration.
- The largest crowd to ever witness a game at the stadium was 21,010 on November 27, 2004 against Florida A&M University, which FIU won 40-23.
- Up until the end of the 2006 football season, FIU was the only university in the State of Florida south of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida to play their home football games on campus. In 2008, once the Golden Panthers move back to FIU Stadium, FIU will be the only university south of Orlando, Florida to play their home football games on-campus.
[edit] See also
- Golden Panthers
- Golden Panthers Football
- Shula Bowl
- University Park Stadium (FIU Baseball)
- FIU Arena (FIU Basketball)
[edit] External links
- FIU Stadium Construction- Official Website
- FIU Facilities Planning & Construction Site
- Florida International University - Official website
- FIU Stadium is at coordinates Coordinates:
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