Fifth Third Bank Stadium

Fifth Third Bank Stadium, known as Kennesaw State University Stadium until 2013, is a stadium near Kennesaw, Georgia, that is primarily used as the home for the Kennesaw State Owls football team as well as the KSU women's soccer and women's lacrosse teams. It was built as a soccer-specific stadium and opened May 2, 2010, with the first match played on May 9. 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 was home to the Beat in 2010 and 2011, and hosted the 2010 WPS All-Star Game on June 30.[1] Pro soccer returned when Atlanta United 2 of the USL Championship moved to the stadium for the 2019 season.[2] The stadium hosted a 2019 CONCACAF Champions League match where Atlanta United FC defeated C.S. Herediano 4–0 on February 28, 2019.

Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Full nameFifth Third Bank Stadium
Former namesKSU Soccer Stadium (2010–2013)
Location3200 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
OwnerKennesaw State University Foundation
OperatorKennesaw State University
Capacity8,318
Construction
Built2010
OpenedMay 2, 2010
Construction cost$16.5 million
ArchitectRossetti 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) (2016–2018)
Atlanta United 2 (USLC) (2019–present)

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

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 & Entertainment 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 recently completed its transition into NCAA Division I.

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. The remaining area around the new stadium has been developed into soccer fields, intramural fields, a rugby field, and 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.[3] 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 February 15–16, 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.[4] The United States won the match 32–13 to win the qualification spot on two-match aggregate 59-40.

The stadium hosted the United States when they played Georgia on June 17, 2017. The Eagles lost to Georgia 21–17.[5] Th

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. Renovation plans to expand the 8,300-seat stadium to accommodate over 10,000 seats have been cancelled. [6]

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See also

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. "ATL UTD 2 Announces Move to Fifth Third Bank Stadium". USL Championship. December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  3. Sugiura, Ken (September 15, 2010). "Kennesaw State plans to field 2014 football team". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  4. 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
  5. "Georgia wins in Georgia, Eagles held off late". usarugby.org. June 17, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  6. "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

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