FIU Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = FIU Stadium
nickname = "The Cage"


location = University Park
11200 SW 8th St
Miami, Florida 33199
broke_ground = 1994
opened = 1995
expanded = September 2008
closed =
demolished =
owner = Florida International University
operator = Florida International University
surface = Field Turf
construction_cost = $54 million USD
architect = Rossetti Architects
general_contractor = Odebrecht Construction
former_names = FIU Community Stadium (1995-2001)
tenants = FIU Golden Panthers (NCAA) (1995-Present)
seating_capacity = 23,500 (45,000 by 2011)
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.

tadium expansion

The following are planned expansions to be completed through six separate construction phases starting from 2007 to 2011. [http://fiusm.com/articles/slug-stadium]

Phase one: September 2008 (complete)

*Seating capacity to 18,000
*1,400 club seats
*6,500 square-foot Stadium Club
*Upper concourse
*New press box

FIU Stadium seating capacities

*New lighting
*New coaches offices
*Expanded locker rooms
*Expanded weight room
*19 suites

Phase two: Fall 2008 (under construction)

*4-story FIU Fieldhouse overlooking stadium

Phase three: 2009-2010

*Seating increase and expansion of northern side of stadium for student section
*Addition of a 100,000 Square-foot Student Services Complex (2010 football season). Includes offices for Admissions, Bursars, Housing, Financial Aid as well as study halls and conference auditoriums.

Phase four-six: 2010-2011

*Seating capacity will increase to 45,000.
*Expanded upper concourse
*Construction of additional luxury suites and club seats
*FIU Alumni Center
*Restaurant overlooking the field
*Main Street FIU

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. As of 2008, the Golden Panthers are the only university south of Orlando, Florida to play their home football games on-campus.

ee also

*Golden Panthers
*Golden Panthers Football
*Shula Bowl
*University Park Stadium (FIU Baseball)
*FIU Arena (FIU Basketball)

External links

* [http://www.fiusports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&KEY=&SPID=10392&SPSID=87363 FIU Stadium Construction- Official Website]
* [http://facilities.fiu.edu/ FIU Facilities Planning & Construction Site]
* [http://www.fiu.edu Florida International University] - Official website