Toyota Stadium is a stadium meant for soccer situated in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, United States. The stadium with a seating capacity of 20,500 was opened in 2005. It was built and owned by none other than the city of Frisco. The prime tenants of this stadium happen to be the Major League Soccer club FC Dallas and Frisco Independent School District high school football games.
The stadium also hosts several other matches like the annual NCAA Division Football Championship. Last but not least, Toyota Stadium is the home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame which opened in 2018.
History of The Stadium
Toyota Stadium is considered to be the third MLS soccer stadium after Dignity Health Sports Park near Los Angeles (2003) and Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (1999). This stadium opened on 6th August 2005 with overall spending of $80 million. The first-ever match held here was the match between FC Dallas and the MetroStars, which ended in a 2–2 draw.
The stadium has a U-shaped design with the north end including a permanent covered stage for hosting concerts, which is quite similar to SeatGeek Stadium near Chicago, which opened 1 year after Toyota Stadium. Until 2012 the stadium had Pizza Hut Park as the sponsor, but after some time it got renamed as FC Dallas Stadium. Since 2013, it has been called Toyota Stadium.
In 2017, works started on an extensive redevelopment of Toyota Stadium, which included the reconstruction of the south stand, increased hospitality facilities, and the construction of the Soccer Hall of Fame adjacent to the stadium.
There was a time when they thought that a permanent stage would be helpful in amplifying the revenue by having mid-sized concerts. But unfortunately, the design was unpopular which led MLS clubs to reject the idea of constructing a permanent stage in the stadium. They also get a huge amount of support from the fan clubs to remove the stage from the renovation plan.
Talking about the Stadium, it is stretched in a private 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) land with a total of 18 luxury suites. The stadium is well-known for hosting the 2005 MLS Cup final. After that, it also hosted the 2006 MLS Cup that ended up with Houston Dynamo defeating the New England Revolution 4–3 on penalty kicks.
The renovation work on the stadium was completed in 2018. It consisted of renovating the south end of the stadium. The stadium also got a new European-style roof built over the new multi-tiered stand. Apart from that, it also got a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Club on the second tier and some new stores, box office, seating area, and conference in the third tier.
There were several people who supported the construction of roof structures over the west and east stands to have shade during the Texas summers. But all of these changes were postponed for the next renovation. There is also an idea of constructing a National Soccer Hall of Fame worth $55 million.
Stadium Address and Location
Toyota Stadium
Address: 9200 World Cup Way Frisco, TX 75034, (214) 705-6700
Phone Number: +1 214-705-6700
Additional Information
Back in 2005, the naming rights of the stadium were with the national pizza chain – Pizza Hut. Due to this reason, the stadium was known to be the Pizza Hut Stadium. Several nicknames were given to this stadium such as the hut, PHP, and the Oven. It was called the oven referring to the climate of Texas. The contract with Pizza Hut saw an end on January 7, 2012. Post this, the stadium was renamed the FC Dallas Stadium.
Again on September 10, 2013, FC Dallas decided to give this stadium to the Gulf States Toyota Distributors in Houston. The stadium was then renamed the Toyota Stadium. The stadium has a total of 17 practice fields that would be known as the Toyota Soccer Center.
Some years back in 2015, there was a discussion that the stadium would be known as the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Along with this museum, the stadium also got a huge renovation. The entire renovation was completed in 2018 and cost almost $55 million. The Hall of Fame was supposed to consist of two components i.e. the NSHOF club and the NSHOF Experience.
The overall experience consists of the museum and is also the location of the Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony. The club also provides special seats for people having season tickets. They can come and enjoy FC Dallas home matches, multiple event spaces that function as food and beverage hubs on game days. The National Soccer Hall of Fame is all about modern technology, virtual reality exhibits, and soccer memorabilia.
Hotels Near The Stadium
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Plano East
2001 E President George Bush Hwy, Plano, TX 75074,
United States
Comfort Suites Frisco
3-star hotel
9700 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034, United States
+1 972-668-9700
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Frisco Fieldhouse North
2-star hotel
9595 John W. Elliott Dr, Frisco, TX 75033, United States
+1 800-753-3757
Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Frisco North-FieldhouseUSA
3-star hotel
Eco-certified
6070 Sports Village Rd, Frisco, TX 75033, United States
+1 972-668-4200
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Plano Legacy Frisco
3-star hotel
6624 Communications Pkwy, Plano, TX 75024, United States
+1 214-919-5059
Drury Inn & Suites Dallas Frisco
3-star hotel
2880 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034, United States
+1 214-705-9300
Comfort Inn & Suites Plano East
2-star hotel
700 Central Pkwy E, Plano, TX 75074, United States
+1 972-881-1881
Omni Frisco Hotel
4-star hotel
11 Cowboys Way, Frisco, TX 75034, United States
+1 469-287-0000
Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Plano/Richardson
4-star hotel
1805 E President George Bush Hwy, Plano, TX 75074, United States
+1 972-516-2949
Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/Plano Central
2-star hotel
Eco-certified
3316 Central Expy, Plano, TX 75074, United States
+1 972-905-5786
Conclusion
Toyota Stadium has gone through several renovations in the last decade. Currently, it is one of the most amazing stadiums in the world. One must surely visit this stadium once in their life. Before you plan your visit, do read our blog.
If you have any questions or queries regarding the blog, please feel free to share in the comments.