Rio Tinto Stadium

Location	Sandy, Utah
Coordinates	40°34′59″N 111°53′35″W / 40.582923°N 111.893156°W / 40.582923; -111.893156Coordinates: 40°34′59″N 111°53′35″W / 40.582923°N 111.893156°W / 40.582923; -111.893156
Broke ground	August 12, 2006
Opened	October 9, 2008
Owner	Salt Lake County, Utah and Real Salt Lake
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	$115 million
Architect	Rossetti architects
Capacity	20,008
Tenants
Real Salt Lake (MLS) (2008-present)

Rio Tinto Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Sandy, Utah, USA, and the home of Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium took place on August 12, 2006. Involved in the ceremony were members of Real Madrid including David Beckham. Funding plans for the stadium were rejected twice before a revised proposal was introduced the day before Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts' self-imposed deadline on obtaining funding for a new stadium or selling the team. The stadium seats 20,000 people.

The stadium opened on October 9, 2008 when Real Salt Lake hosted Red Bull New York^[1][2]. It hosted the 2009 MLS All-Star Game vs. Everton F.C. on 29 July 2009.^[3]

Contents 1 Financing 2 Naming rights 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Financing

The financing plan for the stadium collapsed between January 26 and 29, 2007, after the county's Debt Review Committee voted to oppose the stadium plan as not viable. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon was obliged to agree as was the Utah House Speaker Greg Curtis.

However, a new stadium proposal was made on February 2, which would divert 15% of the county's hotel taxes, roughly $2 million a year, to the stadium project beginning in July until 2015.^[4] The bill was passed by the State Senate, and later the House of Representatives. Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. signed the bill on February 9, 2007.

[edit] Naming rights

On September 28, 2008, it was announced that the naming rights to the stadium were sold to Rio Tinto in a fifteen-year deal worth between $1.5 million and $2 million per year.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stadium website
• MLS article on groundbreaking, August 12, 2006

Preceded by Rice-Eccles Stadium

Home of Real Salt Lake 2008 — present

Succeeded by current

v • d • e Real Salt Lake Founded in 2004 • Based in Sandy, Utah The Club History • Seasons • Records • Players • All articles Stadiums Rice-Eccles Stadium • Rio Tinto Stadium Culture Loyalists • Rogue Cavaliers Brigade Rivalries Rocky Mountain Cup Important Figures Jeff Cunningham • Jason Kreis • Eddie Pope Key Personnel Owner: Sports Capital Partners, • General Manager: Garth Lagerwey • Manager: Jason Kreis Honors (1) MLS Cup (1) 2009 Major League Soccer Seasons (5) 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 Website: www.realsaltlake.com

v • d • e Current stadiums in Major League Soccer Eastern Conference BMO Field • Columbus Crew Stadium • CommunityAmerica Ballpark • Red Bull Arena • Gillette Stadium • RFK Memorial Stadium • Union Field at Chester • Toyota Park Western Conference Buck Shaw Stadium • Dick's Sporting Goods Park • The Home Depot Center • Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum • Pizza Hut Park • Qwest Field • Rio Tinto Stadium • Robertson Stadium