Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium 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 Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and the Chicago Bliss of the Legends Football League (LFL). The stadium has also hosted the Chicago Machine of Major League Lacrosse. Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million, with a capacity of 20,000. The facility opened June 11, 2006.
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Stadium
Incorporating traditional stadium features from 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 natural grass; the other artificial turf) for the Fire club and its youth programs lies next to the stadium. The stadium's design allows 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.
A permanent stage allows the stadium to host concerts and quickly change configurations. 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. In August 2016, it was announced in the local news circulars that Toyota chose not to renew the naming rights. The stadium will still be known as Toyota Park for the foreseeable future, as no new naming rights agreements have been announced.
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Major soccer events
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.
Toyota Park was the venue for the 2006 MLS All-Star Game in which the MLS side defeated Chelsea F.C. 1-0.
The stadium also hosted the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup's final in which Chicago Fire defeated Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1.
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. Toyota Park also serves as the home site for Roosevelt University men's and women's soccer matches.
Music events
Since 2006, Toyota Park has been the host venue for Chicago radio station B96's annual summer concert, The B96 Pepsi Summer Bash. The Crossroads Guitar Festival was held here on July 28, 2007 and again on June 26, 2010. A three-day, all-electronic music festival, Future Sound Dance Music Festival, was hosted at Toyota Park May 24-26, 2013. The Chicago Open Air festival was held there from July 15-17, 2016. It was 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.
Chicago Fire provides bus transportation from nine different bar locations in the city to and from the games.
Economic development
In 2015, a Circle K convenience store and Shell gas station opened at the east end of the stadium's parking lot, accessible from Harlem Avenue. Additionally, a $2.475 million transit center operated by Pace is under construction at the east end of the stadium's parking lot.
Public Art Murals
In July of 2016 two large scale murals where designed and painted by artist Tony Passero on the east and west walls of the stadiums stage suites. The murals measure 14 feet high by 27 feet in length and are named Offense and Defense.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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