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Date: June 2nd 2006 Project: PAETEC Park

ROCHESTER, NY – United States professional soccer continues its growth pattern with this weekend’s opening of PAETEC Park. Developed specifically for the United Soccer League’s Rochester Rhinos, the stadium will provide a European feel in an intimate setting.

    Project details
  • Architect: HOK Sport
  • Contractor: LeChase Construction
  • Total cost: $40 million
  • Playing Field Size: 120 yard x 77 yard field
  • Seats: 13,500, with ability to expand to 20,000
  • Suites: 20 (under construction)
  • Club seats: 1,500

“The Rhinos’ new stadium is a far cry from the transformed ballpark where they used to play,” said HOK Sport project manager John Fickel. “With an intimate seating bowl and a soccer-only configuration, we hope to give the Rhinos many more successful seasons of soccer.”

The exposed steel structure features a four-pole European lighting system and a special, pre-engineered seating system. The horseshoe-shaped seating bowl seats 13,500 and provides an open north end designed for large group gatherings. The west side upper deck provides dramatic views of downtown Rochester and the first row of seats in the four corners is just 15 feet from field action.

A new brand of FieldTurf was used to accommodate a variety of events. The field will also be designated with FIFA’s prestigious “Two Star” rating. In addition to the Rhinos, the field will host Major League Lacrosse’s Rochester Rattlers; women’s professional soccer; high school soccer, lacrosse and football championships; and various community events. Located in a once-blighted area of the city, the stadium will revitalize Rochester and provide increased revenues for one of the most successful teams in the USL.

PAETEC Park represents HOK Sport’s first soccer-only stadium to open in the U.S. It is the fourth and largest USL stadium to be opened in the U.S., with a fifth planned. Major League Soccer has four stadiums open and two in design, including the HOK Sport-designed Colorado Rapids stadium currently under construction. In addition to these U.S. soccer stadiums, HOK Sport has put its thumbprint on numerous global soccer stadiums, such as the new Wembley Stadium (in joint partnership with Foster and Partners); Benfica and Algarve Stadiums in Portugal; Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico; Telstra Stadium in Sydney, Australia; and Hong Kong Stadium in China.

For further information please contact
Gina Leo at HOK Sport (Kansas City)
Telephone: +1 816 221 1500
Facsimile: +1 816 221 1578
Email media@hoksve.com