Bank of America Stadium: Difference between revisions
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|architect=[[HOK Sport + Venue + Event|HOK Sport]] |
|architect=[[HOK Sport + Venue + Event|HOK Sport]] |
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|former_names=Carolinas Stadium ([[1994]]-[[1996]])<br />Ericsson Stadium ([[1996]]-[[2004]]) |
|former_names=Carolinas Stadium ([[1994]]-[[1996]])<br />Ericsson Stadium ([[1996]]-[[2004]]) |
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|tenants=[[Carolina Panthers]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) ([[1996]]-present)<br />[[Meineke Car Care Bowl]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) ([[2002]]-present)|seating_capacity=73,298 |
|tenants=[[Carolina Panthers]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) ([[1996]]-present)<br />[[Meineke Car Care Bowl]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) ([[2002]]-present)<br />[[ACC Championship Game]] (2010-2011) |
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|seating_capacity=73,298 |
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|dimensions=132 yds long x 93 yds wide (121 x 80 m) |
|dimensions=132 yds long x 93 yds wide (121 x 80 m) |
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Revision as of 06:28, 1 January 2008
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2007) |
The Vault, The Bank | |
File:BofA Stadium Logo.gif | |
 | |
| Former names | Carolinas Stadium (1994-1996) Ericsson Stadium (1996-2004) |
|---|---|
| Location | 800 South Mint Street Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA |
| Owner | Carolinas Stadium Corp |
| Operator | Carolinas Stadium Corp |
| Capacity | 73,298 |
| Field size | 132 yds long x 93 yds wide (121 x 80 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1993 |
| Opened | 1996 |
| Construction cost | US$248 million |
| Architect | HOK Sport |
| Tenants | |
| Carolina Panthers (NFL) (1996-present) Meineke Car Care Bowl (NCAA) (2002-present) ACC Championship Game (2010-2011) | |
Bank of America Stadium (formerly know as Carolinas Stadium and Ericsson Stadium) is a 73,504 seat football stadium located 33 acres (130,000 m²) of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise[1]. It also hosts the annual Meineke Car Care Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East[2]. It will host the 2010 and 2011 ACC Championship Games[3]. The stadium has also been the site for several past and future games featuring the East Carolina University Pirates[4][5].
Other Sites Considered for Selection
The organization had considered several possible sites for the stadium's location prior to choosing the Charlotte center city site. One was near NASCAR's Lowes Motor Speedway and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in northeast Mecklenburg County. Another was at the intersection of I-85 and US-74 in western Gaston County. A popular option was locating it near Carowinds amusement park, with the 50 yard line being on the state border of North Carolina and South Carolina.
Naming
The stadium, originally known as Carolinas Stadium (this name is used when the stadium hosts FIFA events), opened in 1996, as Ericsson Stadium after the Swedish telecom company purchased naming rights to the stadium. In 2004, the stadium received its current name after Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years. Since Bank of America has acquired naming rights, many fans now refer to the stadium as "The Vault" or "The Bank".
Carolina Panthers
Inaugural Season
The Panthers played their Inaugural Season at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium while the stadium was being completed. The Carolina Panthers played their first game at the stadium on September 14, 1996.
playoff games
The Panthers are undefeated in playoff games at Bank of America Stadium. In 1996, on their way to their first NFC Championship Game, they defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys. Again they defeated the Cowboys on their way to Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston in 2004.
Impact on NFL venues
At the time of its construction in the early 1990s, the stadium was a pioneering project for the use of Personal Seat Licenses. It was the first large-scale project funded and constructed in the USA using mostly PSLs. It was the strength of PSL pledges that impressed the NFL owners and resulted in the Carolinas receiving the first new expansion team in nearly two decades.
The stadium is also credited with being a major cause for the recent round of new stadium construction in the NFL. Only a decade after its construction, it already is in the oldest third of current NFL stadiums. Only nine other current NFL stadiums are older which have not received major renovations. The last two to open before the stadium broke ground were the Georgia Dome in 1992 and Dolphin Stadium in 1987. Twenty-one other teams have moved into new facilities since it opened in 1996, averaging 1.9 new stadiums per year. It is a credit to the design's innovations, which have been copied in many of the newer stadiums, that no major upgrades are planned in the near future.
Non-football uses
Though Bank of America Stadium is mostly used as a football facility, it hosted the Rolling Stones on October 10, 1997, and has been a site of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship in 1999 and 2000. A Billy Graham crusade was held there as well.
References
- ^ "Stadium (panthers.com)". Carolina Panthers. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ "Conferences". Raycom. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ "ACC Football Title Games to Tampa, Charlotte". WRAL.com. December 12 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "East Carolina Announces Football Schedules Through 2013". East Carolina University. 2005-06-23. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ 2006 East Carolina Football Media Guide. East Carolina Athletic Department. 2006. pp. 178–179.
External links
- Charlotte Sports Commission - Bank of America Stadium official website
- Carolina Panthers - Bank of America stadium page
- Meineke Car Care Bowl official website
35°13′32.91″N 80°51′10.30″W / 35.2258083°N 80.8528611°W
Template:North Carolina College Football Venues Template:ACC Championship Game Venues