Amid all the hype and hubbub about the arrival of Minnesota United FC and Atlanta United FC into the league and the unveiling of Orlando City’s gorgeous new stadium, MLS fans could be forgiven for overlooking the major facelift underway at the home of FC Dallas.
Regular visitors to Toyota Stadium may be doing some double-takes this season, however.
The 12-year-old venue is currently undergoing a multi-faceted renovation that will run to more than $39 million when all is said and done. FCD supporters will get to experience the fruits of the first phase when the home team host the New England Revolution in their home opener on March 18 (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE).
“We get one shot to really get this right,” FCD president Dan Hunt told The Dallas Morning News during a recent behind-the-scenes tour of the upgrades. “It's going to feel like a brand-new stadium.”
FCD have installed a new audio system and two 13mm high-definition video screens, four new private suites, a new club suite and a new private club, the Winners Club by WinStar World Casino and Resort. Meanwhile, the existing River Club is being dramatically remodeled. Both club areas will be reserved for suite and club seat holders in the first half of Dallas’ games, and opened to all fans after halftime.
Down at field level, the Budweiser Beer Garden will feature a new truck offering craft beers and – via its triumph in a fan survey – turkey legs, a delicacy made famous by the Texas State Fair in downtown Dallas.
“We want this to be the best soccer fan experience in North America,” said Hunt. “This will be the mecca of soccer.”
Work on the crown jewel of the project – the installation of a new National Soccer Hall of Fame in the stadium’s south end – will run until 2018, while most of the other remodeling is scheduled to wrap in December. The south end will also feature new locker rooms, a new team store and a new club seating section with a patio.
Beyond FCD action, the new-look Toyota Stadium will also host a Gold Cup Group A doubleheader on July 14, featuring Costa Rica vs. French Guiana and Canada vs. Honduras.
