Expansion plans kick o From the cover
The big picture
FC Dallas’ home stadium will see updated, fan- friendly multipurpose improvements starting in the new year. Toyota Stadium upgrades, which Frisco City Council approved the $182 million update Sept. 17, will see dirt moving starting January 2025. The east side of the stadium will see the rst upgrades while the west side remains operational for the 2025 MLS season. The stadium has been the home of Major League Soccer club FC Dallas since it opened in 2005 through the same partnership amended Sept. 17. Partnership members include the city, Frisco ISD, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, Frisco Community Development Corporation and Frisco Stadium LLC, which represents the Hunt family members who own FC Dallas. Jimmy Smith, FC Dallas chief operating o cer and chief nancial o cer, said he hopes the new improvements will allow the stadium to be enjoyed by the entire community. Upgrading the stadium to include a mixed-
The updates to Toyota Stadium would make it available for concerts.
new revenue from nearby cities, she said. “Fans coming for a sporting event or concert will now have more reason to stay in the area,” said Christal Howard, president of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, in an emailed statement. “We see it as a win all the way around that they’ll have nearby Frisco Square and the Rail District to explore and give them plenty of opportunities to stick around longer.”
use district, which will feature retail and hotel buildings, could keep Frisco competitive with nearby cities, said Judith Grant Long, an associate professor of sport management and urban planning at the University of Michigan. Long said most stadiums do not get the money back on their investment but that Toyota Stadium is in a unique place to be an exception. Adding hotels and Frisco-speci c amenities will bring in
Zooming out
Comparing capacities
fan-friendly and open the door to new possibilities, such as concerts or hosting national teams. In just under two years, Toyota Stadium will be a base camp for a team participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Renovations are expected to begin in January 2025 and be completed in phases to work around the major event, Smith said. “The plan is to start on the east side [of the stadium] next year and we’ll have that completely done prior to the World Cup in the summer of 2026,” he said.
The stadium improvements, which include add- ing shade structures and technology upgrades, will provide Toyota Stadium with the level of excellence North Texas sports fans expect, Smith said. “We owe that to our fans, to our community, to have that higher level of experience,” Smith said. The Sept. 17 agreements also renewed FC Dallas’ contract at Toyota Stadium for another three decades, keeping the team in Frisco until 2057. FC Dallas President Dan Hunt said Sept. 17 that the improvements will both keep the stadium
Current Toyota Stadium
19,096
3,400 seats
Toyota Stadium after renovations
22,496
Ford Center
12,000
Riders Field
10,216
SOURCES: FAIR PARK DALLAS, FC DALLAS, GLOBE LIFE FIELD, VISIT FRISCO/COMMUNITY IMPACT
A closer look
19,096
20K
The renovations will add 3,400 seats in a new supporters section on the field’s north side, bringing Toyota Stadium’s capacity to over 22,500 seats. The project’s approval came during a record high for FC Dallas ticket sales, Smith said. Gordon Flynn, a member of El Matador, one of FC Dallas’ support groups, said the new supporters section is what the fans want. “I can’t wait to see how it goes,” Flynn said.
16,816
15K
10K
5K
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020* 2021
2022 2023 2024**
**THE 2024 SEASON WAS NOT FINISHED AT THE TIME THIS WAS COMPILED. *NUMBERS ONLY REFLECT TICKET SALES BEFORE COVID-19 PANDEMIC-RELATED GAME CANCELLATIONS
SOURCE: MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER/COMMUNITY IMPACT
22
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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