Saturday's grand opening of Pizza Hut Park was everything that it was built up to be and more. From the giant FC Dallas jersey in the center of the field during the opening ceremony, to the airplane flyover provided by the local joint reserve naval base before the kickoff, to the actual game itself, Pizza Hut Park put on a show to remember.
The soldout crowd might not have gone completely happy, as FC Dallas saw a two-goal halftime lead evaporate in the 2-2 draw with the MetroStars. But for the Hoops' family, it's a place to call home.
"I think this stadium will be another step in the succession of steps that are going to help Major League Soccer succeed," said FC Dallas investor/operator Lamar Hunt. "It has been a positive response as I walked around before the game. The sightlines and the amenities speak for themselves."
"It's a great beginning. It's a tremendous venue, a tremendous field," said MetroStars defender Jeff Agoos. "I give a lot of credit to [FC Dallas general manager] Greg Elliott for getting this thing started and almost completed here and I think it is going to be a great place for Dallas to play."
Building Pizza Hut Park in suburban Dallas has brought Hunt full circle, in a way. No stranger to providing vision and financial backing, he showed similar resolve as a pioneer for the American Football League. Early on, almost a half-century ago now, he purchased the Dallas Texans and moved them north to become the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most successful franchises in the NFL.
"I lived in Dallas for 67 years and I have seen a lot of changes," Hunt said. "I never played soccer as a child and I don't particularly know the sport that way, but I certainly have seen it develop over the last 25, 30, 35 years and a sense of the number of players playing the sport."
With the new Chicago stadium expected to open in 2006, a new Colorado stadium planned for 2007, the new announcement of the stadium scheduled for the MetroStars and also possibly one in Washington, D.C., anticipate the sight of construction crews for soccer-specific stadiums around the United States for a long time to come.
"One of the great things about this is that it is now the third stadium to open in Major League Soccer -- we have about three or four others in the league that are under construction or have been announced and over the next couple of years it's going to continue to add up to the many positives that come from the development of these facilities," Hunt said.
But where the league goes in terms of expansion eventually is still something to be seen. Certainly facilities will be a key component, and at the All-Star break MLS Commissioner Don Garber said the near-term goal is to increase the size of the league to 18 teams.
"[With 18 teams] we would be a small league compared to the NFL, National Hockey League, NBA," said Hunt. "I think probably we need to grow to over a period of time somewhere near 30 to 32. Maybe the 18 is perfect for England or Germany or Spain, but I don't think it is really the real world as far as what needs to happen in this country because you will leave out, who would you leave out? Atlanta, Seattle, Houston -- you know with only 18 you are not going to be represented in a lot of markets."
Ron Goode is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
