FAU Stadium

Coordinates: 26°22′31″N 80°6′1″W / 26.37528°N 80.10028°W / 26.37528; -80.10028

FAU Stadium
The House that Howard Built
Location	777 Glades Road Boca Raton, Florida
Broke ground	2010
Opened	October 15, 2011
Owner	Florida Atlantic University
Operator	Florida Atlantic University
Construction cost	$62 million
Architect	HKS/ Schenkel Shultz
General Contractor	James A. Cummings, Inc. / Balfour Beatty Construction
Capacity	30,000
Tenants
Florida Atlantic Owls (NCAA) (2011-present)

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.^[1]

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, 130,000 square feet (12,000 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.^[2][2] 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.

The North Endzone during Opening Day, October 15, 2011

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.^[3] 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.

Schmidt Family scoreboard at night

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. [3] On July 21st, FAU trustees voted to approve a $44.6 million finance plan from Regions Bank. [4]

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. [5]

Preceded by Lockhart Stadium

Home of the Florida Atlantic Owls football 2011

Succeeded by future

Link

• Stadium website

References

1. ^ http://www.fau.edu/innovationvillage/, July 20, 2008.
2. ^ Sarah Talalay, Private firms are key to FAU stadium plan, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, August 30, 2005.
3. ^ [1], Sun-Sentinel, July 15, 2008.