Highmark Stadium (Pennsylvania)

Highmark Stadium
The field from upper-level seating in 2019
Highmark Stadium is located in Downtown Pittsburgh
Highmark Stadium
Highmark Stadium
Location near Downtown Pittsburgh
Highmark Stadium is located in Pennsylvania
Highmark Stadium
Highmark Stadium
Location in Pennsylvania
Highmark Stadium is located in the United States
Highmark Stadium
Highmark Stadium
Location in the United States
LocationStation Square,
510 West Station Square Drive
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
Coordinates40°26′10″N 80°0′34″W / 40.43611°N 80.00944°W / 40.43611; -80.00944
Public transitPittsburgh Light Rail Station Square
OwnerTerry "Tuffy" Shallenberger
(majority)
OperatorPittsburgh Riverhounds SC
TypeSoccer-specific stadium
Capacity3,500 (2013–2018)
5,000 (2018–present)
Record attendance6,107(May 24th, 2023)[1]
Field size110 m × 70 m (360 ft × 230 ft)
SurfaceFIFA 2-Star Certified hybrid-turf[2]
Construction
Broke groundJune 25, 2012[3]
OpenedApril 13, 2013; 11 years ago (April 13, 2013)
Renovated2018
Construction cost$10.2 million
ArchitectThenDesign Architecture, Inc.[4]
Project managerMillcraft Industries, Inc.[4]
Structural engineerAlber & Rice, Inc.[5]
General contractorNello Construction[4]
Tenants
Website
highmarkstadium.com

Highmark Stadium is a 5,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Pittsburgh's Station Square which is home to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC of the USL Championship and the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds of the American Ultimate Disc League. The stadium was also home to the Pittsburgh Rebellion women's football team for 2017. Three local colleges use the stadium for soccer, lacrosse and rugby, and six different local high schools will use the field for soccer and lacrosse.[6] The $10.2 million project began with the demolishing and excavating of the former Trib Total Media Amphitheatre, building foundations for the scoreboard, light poles and grading foundations for the grandstands as well as the installation of underground utilities. The field surface is FIFA 2-star certified artificial turf, the highest rating that an artificial surface can achieve, one of only six fields in the country to earn that rating.[6][7] Other fields to earn this rating in the United States include: Providence Park, CenturyLink Field, and Gillette Stadium, all of which house Major League Soccer franchises.[8][9][10]

On August 1, 2015, the supporters' section was renamed the Paul Child Stand in honor of Pittsburgh soccer legend Paul Child.[11] About Highmark Stadium, Benjamin Zand of the BBC once said it is "[...]probably the most beautiful stadium I've ever seen."[12] Highmark Stadium is notable for its picturesque albeit unusual layout, with the Monongahela River in close proximity to the field. As a result, during daytime broadcasts of Riverhound matches, the river serves as a backdrop for the action on the field.

  1. ^ "Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs Louisville City FC". uslchampionship.com. USL Championship. November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Price was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "About Highmark Stadium". Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Jones, Rachel (December 1, 2012). "Home Field Advantage: Pittsburgh Riverhounds". WHIRL Magazine. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Pittsburgh Riverhounds Highmark Soccer Stadium". Alber & Rice, Inc. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference USL Pro Spotlight: Week 4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Highmark Earns Top Marks". USL Pro. April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  8. ^ "JELD-WEN Field's FieldTurf Surface Earns Third FIFA 2-Star Certification". Portland Timbers. March 28, 2013. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  9. ^ "Gillette Stadium's FieldTurf Surface Earns FIFA 2-Star Certification". PR Web. July 29, 2010. Archived from the original on August 7, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  10. ^ Krysinky, John. "VINCENT HAT TRICK HELPS HOUNDS END THREE-GAME SKID". Pittsburgh Soccer Report. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  11. ^ Zand, Benjamin. "Football in the USA: Why Americans don't like relegation". BBC News. Retrieved 23 December 2014.