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Invesco Field at Mile High

Invesco Field / Mile High Stadium
Location	1701 Mile High Stadium Circle West, Denver, Colorado 80204-1701
Coordinates	39°44′38″N 105°1′12″W / 39.74389°N 105.02°W / 39.74389; -105.02Coordinates: 39°44′38″N 105°1′12″W / 39.74389°N 105.02°W / 39.74389; -105.02
Broke ground	1999
Opened	September 2001
Owner	Denver Metropolitan Football Stadium District
Operator	Stadium Management Company
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	$364.2 million
Architect	HNTB
Capacity	76,125 (football) up to 50,000 (concerts)
Tenants
Denver Broncos (NFL) (2001-present) Denver Outlaws (MLL) (2006-present) Colorado Rapids (MLS) (2001-2006) Democratic National Convention (2008) Rocky Mountain Showdown

Invesco Field at Mile High (commonly known as Invesco Field or Mile High) is a stadium in Denver, Colorado. Invesco Field at Mile High replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium (named for the fact that Denver is exactly one mile above sea level) in 2001. The stadium is best known as the home of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Invesco paid $120 million dollars for the naming rights.

[edit] Naming rights controversy

Many fans opposed a corporate name and wished to retain the previous venue's name, "Mile High Stadium."^[1] The Denver Post initially refused to use the Invesco label and referred to it as Mile High for several years before changing their policy and adding INVESCO to articles. Post columnist Woody Paige created more controversy when he revealed that Invesco officials referred to the stadium as "the Diaphragm," a reference to its shape resembling that of a birth-control device.

[edit] Usage

Invesco Field at Mile High is used primarily for football games. It is the home field for Denver's National Football League team, the Denver Broncos. The stadium also hosts the city's Major League Lacrosse team, the Denver Outlaws. In college football it has hosted the rivalry game between the Colorado State University Rams and the University of Colorado at Boulder Buffaloes. It is also used for the CHSAA class 4A and 5A Colorado high school football state championship games, and has been used for the CBMA Marching Band Finals. Invesco Field at Mile High is also used for concerts and other events. It was the former home of the city's Major League Soccer franchise, the Colorado Rapids.

[edit] Location

Invesco Field at Mile High marks the completion of a six–year sporting venue upgrade program in Denver, including Coors Field and the Pepsi Center. As with the other venues, the stadium was constructed to be easily accessible. It sits along Interstate 25 near the Colfax Avenue and 17th Avenue exits. It is also bordered by Federal Boulevard, a major Denver thoroughfare, on the west side. A dedicated light rail station also serves the stadium. The stadium is located in the Sun Valley neighborhood.

[edit] Stadium culture

The field at Invesco Field at Mile High.

A home game tradition (carried over from the original Mile High Stadium) is the "Incomplete Chant". At Bronco home games, when the opposing team throws an incomplete pass, the stadium announcer will state "Pass thrown by (the opposing quarterback) intended for (the opposing intended receiver) is..." at which time the fans complete the chant by saying "in-com-plete!". This is followed by the infamous "sad trombone" sound effect. www.sadtrombone.com

[edit] Notable events

The main entrance of the stadium.

The first event held at the new stadium was a concert by the rock group Eagles.

On September 10, 2001, Invesco Field at Mile High hosted its first regular season game, in which the Denver Broncos defeated the New York Giants 31–20. In a pre-game ceremony Broncos legends John Elway, Steve Atwater, Randy Gradishar, Haven Moses, Billy Thompson, Floyd Little, Dennis Smith, and Karl Mecklenburg helped to "Move the Thunder" from the old Mile High Stadium to the new home of the Broncos.^{[citation needed]}

On August 3, 2003, the heavy metal Band Metallica played to a sold-out crowd of almost 100,000 people.

In August 2004 the stadium hosted the Drum Corps International Division I World Championships.^{[citation needed]}

On July 2, 2005 Invesco Field at Mile High hosted the 2005 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game. In 2006, Major League Lacrosse placed the expansion Outlaws in Denver.

Invesco Field at Mile High hosted the 2006 AFC Championship Game, which the Broncos lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-17. This and the AFC Divisional Playoff the previous week, where Denver beat the New England Patriots, are the only two playoff games to date the Broncos have hosted at the newer stadium.

On October 29, 2007, a record crowd of 77,160 watched the Broncos lose to the Green Bay Packers 19-13 on Monday Night Football.

The south endzone as it looked during the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

On August 28, 2008, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States at Invesco Field, moving the 2008 Democratic National Convention from the Pepsi Center. Approximately 84,000 people attended Obama's speech, exceeding the normal capacity of the stadium due to the placement of audience on the field.^[2][3][4][5]

On November 26th, 2009 the stadium hosted its first Thanksgiving game when the Denver Broncos took on the New York Giants. The game was televised on the NFL Network. The final score was 26-6 Broncos.

[edit] Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

Satellite view of stadium

• Quarterback John Elway (1983-1998), 1999 Inductee
• Safety Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin (1960–1966), 1984 Inductee
• Linebacker Randy Gradishar (1974–1983), 1989 Inductee
• Defensive End Rich Jackson (1967–1972), 1984 Inductee
• Linebacker Tom Jackson (1973–1986), 1992 Inductee
• Quarterback Charley Johnson (1972–1975), 1986 Inductee
• Running Back Floyd Little (1967–1975), 1984 Inductee
• Linebacker Karl Mecklenburg (1983–1994), 2001 Inductee
• Quarterback Craig Morton (1977–1982), 1988 Inductee
• Wide Receiver Haven Moses (1972–1981), 1988 Inductee
• Former Owner Gerald H. Phipps, 1985 Inductee
• Safety Dennis Smith (1981–1994), 2001 Inductee
• Defensive End Paul Smith (1968–1978), 1986 Inductee
• Wide Receiver Lionel Taylor (1960–1966), 1984 Inductee
• Defensive Back Bill Thompson (1969–1981), 1987 Inductee
• Quarterback Frank Tripucka (1960–1963), 1986 Inductee
• Kicker Jim Turner (1971–1979), 1988 Inductee
• Cornerback Louis Wright (1975–1986), 1993 Inductee
• Tackle Gary Zimmerman (1993–1997), 2003 Inductee
• Free Safety Steve Atwater (1989–1998), 2005 Inductee
• Running Back Terrell Davis (1995–2001), 2007 Inductee^[6]
• Tight End Shannon Sharpe (1990–1999, 2002–2003), 2009 Inductee

While the ring of fame was carried over from the old stadium to the new, the names were re-ordered to segregate the pre-Pat Bowlen (the team's owner and founder of the Ring) era and the post-Bowlen era. One of the most noticeable changes was the move of John Elway's name to the center of the ring, in-between the goalposts of the North endzone.^[7]

[edit] See also

• Mile High Stadium
• Coors Field
• Dick's Sporting Goods Park

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Invesco Field at Mile High Website