Fifth Third Bank Stadium

Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Full name Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Former names KSU Soccer Stadium (2010-2013)
Location 3200 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
Owner Kennesaw State University Foundation
Operator Kennesaw State University
Capacity 8,318
Construction
Built 2010
Opened May 2, 2010
Construction cost $16.5 million
Architect Rossetti Architects
Tenants
Kennesaw State Owls (NCAA)
Women's soccer (2010–present)
Women's lacrosse (2013–present)
Football (2015–present)
Atlanta Beat (WPS) (2010–2011)
Atlanta Blaze (MLL) (2016–present)

Fifth Third Bank Stadium (known as Kennesaw State University Stadium until 2013) is primarily used as the home for the Kennesaw State Owls men's football team. It was originally a soccer-specific stadium near Kennesaw, Georgia that opened on May 2, 2010, with the first match played on May 9. It was primarily used for soccer, and hosts lacrosse and rugby games. The facility is the result of a public-private partnership between Kennesaw State University and the now-defunct Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer. The facility hosts the KSU women's soccer team; previously, it hosted the Beat, and hosted the 2010 WPS All-Star Game on June 30.[1]

The stadium's capacity for soccer is 8,318. It has a stage at one end to facilitate concerts, and can hold up to 16,316 for that purpose.

When the stadium was announced, it was claimed to be the first major stadium in the world dedicated to women's soccer. Although the stadium is owned by KSU, it is not built on university land, allowing alcohol to be sold during Beat home games and concerts.

Stadium

The bowl-shaped stadium –– built on 21 acres (85,000 m2) of land east of the Chastain Road exit off of Interstate 75, about a mile from Kennesaw State’s main campus –– is the latest addition to the KSU Sports & Recreation Park, which opened in fall 2009 to expand the university’s facilities for intramural and club sports. The stadium will help showcase varsity athletics at KSU, which completed its transition into NCAA Division I last year.

The 6.5 acres (26,000 m2) on which the stadium sits is part of 88 acres (360,000 m2) acquired for the university by the KSU Foundation in 2008 and 2009, which now are being developed into athletics facilities for the university’s growing student population. Over the next few months, the remaining area around the new stadium will be developed into soccer fields, an intramural field, a track and nearly 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of nature and hiking trails.

Football

In September 2010, KSU announced that it planned to launch a football program at the Division I FCS level in 2014, and would use the stadium as its home field.[2] On February 14, KSU announced that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the University’s request to add football to its 17-sport NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program.

On September 12, 2015, Kennesaw State played their first home football game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium with 9,506 in attendance, defeating the Edward Waters Tigers, 58-7.

Rugby

The stadium hosted a round of the 2013–14 IRB Women's Sevens World Series on 15–16 February 2014.

The second half of a home-and-home series of rugby matches between the United States and Uruguay as part of the qualification for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England was played here on March 29, 2014.[3] The United States won the match 32-13 to win the qualification spot on two-match aggregate 59-40.

Renovation and renaming

Through a multimillion-dollar, multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Fifth Third Bank's Georgia regional office, KSU Stadium will become Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Renovations to expand the 8,300-seat stadium to accommodate over 10,000 seats will be made prior to the football team’s inaugural season. [4]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Ellis, Ralph (2010-04-15). "KSU hopes to raise profile with new soccer stadium". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  2. ↑ Sugiura, Ken (September 15, 2010). "Kennesaw State plans to field 2014 football team". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  3. ↑ This Is American Rugby, Eagles RWCQ Home Leg Set For Atlanta, 24 October 2013, http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2013/10/eagles-rwcq-home-leg-set-for-atlanta.html?utm_source=BP_recent
  4. ↑ "TOUCHDOWN! Kennesaw State University to Start Football Program in 2015". Kennesaw State University Athletics. February 14, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
Preceded by
WakeMed Soccer Park		 Host of the Women's College Cup
2011 		Succeeded by
Torero Stadium

Coordinates: 34°01′44″N 84°34′03″W / 34.028967°N 84.567626°W / 34.028967; -84.567626

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