FAU Football Stadium
Encyclopedia
FAU Stadium is a American football
stadium
in Boca Raton, Florida
, that is the home for the Florida Atlantic Owls football team
. The stadium is located on the north end of the main Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University
.
Opened in October 2011, the stadium is the final phase of the university's Innovation Village, a multipurpose project which will include four additional apartment-style residence halls, 130000 square feet (12,077.4 m²) of retail shopping space and a multi-use Convocation Center for the basketball program modeled after Knights Plaza
at the University of Central Florida
.http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2007/09/17/daily21.html Two buildings from the Innovation Village, the FAU Alumni Center and the new Recreation and Wellness Center, have recently opened. A second phase to the Recreation and Wellness Center is now underway and is expected to open in Spring 2010.
While initial plans suggested a 40,000 seat dome stadium, the most recent plans call for a smaller 30,000 seat capacity venue that would be open-air. The steel stadium would allow for future expansion up to 65,000 seats as well as a roof if needed. The stadium cost USD$
70 million and was funded through private donations and partnerships such as naming rights (yet to be determined); no public funds (including tax revenues) were used to finance the stadium.
Recently, the architect for the stadium was finalized when the firms of HKS
and Schenkel Shultz were awarded the contract, finishing ahead of Ellerbe Becket
and HOK. FAU initially expected to break ground in Spring 2009 and play its inaugural home game in Fall 2010 against Big Ten opponent the Michigan State Spartans
.
However, fund raising efforts had fallen short due to the weakened economy and the stadium opening was delayed until Fall 2011. To help fund the stadium, FAU secured a $12 million development rights deal with Crocker Partners LLC. This funding would provide Florida Atlantic the money it would need to secure a bond for the stadium. In return, Crocker Partners secured the right to develop up to 2,400 new apartment-style beds on the Boca Raton campus; the first phase of 1,200 beds opened in the fall 2011. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jul/23/developers-crocker-partners-to-build-manage-fau/ On July 21st, FAU trustees voted to approve a $44.6 million finance plan from Regions Bank. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/owls/fau-trustees-approve-44-6-million-loan-for-815586.html
Ground was broken in the fall of 2010 by construction managers James A. Cummings, Inc. (a Tutor Perini Company) and Balfour Beatty
Construction. Dant Clayton Corporation handled fabrication and installation of the stadium. Stadium construction is nearing completion; the venue opened for the Owls' first home game on October 15, 2011; the team lost to the Western Kentucky University
Hilltoppers
, 20-0. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/fl-hyde-fau-stadium-opener-1016-20111015,0,1431249.column
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, that is the home for the Florida Atlantic Owls football team
Florida Atlantic Owls football
The Florida Atlantic Owls football team represents Florida Atlantic University, a mid-major NCAA Division I-A college football team, that competes in the Sun Belt Conference.-Overview and history:...
. The stadium is located on the north end of the main Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
.
Opened in October 2011, the stadium is the final phase of the university's Innovation Village, a multipurpose project which will include four additional apartment-style residence halls, 130000 square feet (12,077.4 m²) of retail shopping space and a multi-use Convocation Center for the basketball program modeled after Knights Plaza
Knights Plaza
Knights Plaza at University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as Knights Plaza, is an athletic village and shopping center on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The plaza consists of housing for 2,000 students in four Towers, of commercial space,...
at the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
.http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2007/09/17/daily21.html Two buildings from the Innovation Village, the FAU Alumni Center and the new Recreation and Wellness Center, have recently opened. A second phase to the Recreation and Wellness Center is now underway and is expected to open in Spring 2010.
While initial plans suggested a 40,000 seat dome stadium, the most recent plans call for a smaller 30,000 seat capacity venue that would be open-air. The steel stadium would allow for future expansion up to 65,000 seats as well as a roof if needed. The stadium cost USD$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
70 million and was funded through private donations and partnerships such as naming rights (yet to be determined); no public funds (including tax revenues) were used to finance the stadium.
Recently, the architect for the stadium was finalized when the firms of HKS
HKS, Inc.
HKS, Inc. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas . It was founded in 1939 by Harwood K. Smith, a native of Chicago and graduate of Texas A&M University....
and Schenkel Shultz were awarded the contract, finishing ahead of Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company, is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based architectural, engineering, interior design and construction firm – ranked as one of the world's largest architectural firms – and with offices in Dallas, TX, Kansas City, MO, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Dubai,...
and HOK. FAU initially expected to break ground in Spring 2009 and play its inaugural home game in Fall 2010 against Big Ten opponent the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
.
However, fund raising efforts had fallen short due to the weakened economy and the stadium opening was delayed until Fall 2011. To help fund the stadium, FAU secured a $12 million development rights deal with Crocker Partners LLC. This funding would provide Florida Atlantic the money it would need to secure a bond for the stadium. In return, Crocker Partners secured the right to develop up to 2,400 new apartment-style beds on the Boca Raton campus; the first phase of 1,200 beds opened in the fall 2011. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jul/23/developers-crocker-partners-to-build-manage-fau/ On July 21st, FAU trustees voted to approve a $44.6 million finance plan from Regions Bank. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/owls/fau-trustees-approve-44-6-million-loan-for-815586.html
Ground was broken in the fall of 2010 by construction managers James A. Cummings, Inc. (a Tutor Perini Company) and Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
Construction. Dant Clayton Corporation handled fabrication and installation of the stadium. Stadium construction is nearing completion; the venue opened for the Owls' first home game on October 15, 2011; the team lost to the Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers is the name for all of the men's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Western Kentucky University. Women's teams are known as Lady Toppers...
, 20-0. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/fl-hyde-fau-stadium-opener-1016-20111015,0,1431249.column