Sahlen’s Stadium

Sahlen’s Stadium (formerly) PAETEC Park is a soccer-specific stadium in Rochester, New York, for the Rochester Raging Rhinos soccer team of the USL First Division. Designed by HOK Sport, italso hosts other sporting events such as Rochester Rattlers lacrosse games, collegiate soccer and football, field hockey and drum and bugle corps competitions as well as concerts.

Sahlen’s Stadium is funded jointly by the state of New York, the city of Rochester, and the Rhinos (the State of New York paying $23 million while the Rhinos and the city will pay the remaining amount). Infrastructure improvements will be paid for by the city of Rochester. Naming rights were purchased by PAETEC Communications, a telecommunications company, for a reported $23 million over a 22 to 30 year period. Due to delays, however, the amount has been reduced to $2.1 million over 12 years.

The construction of the park will be done in three phases:

* Phase 1: 12,600 permanent seats (13,768 with bleachers), temporary luxury boxes and picnic area
* Phase 2: 20 Luxury boxes, a permanent pressbox, team store and locker rooms, and other amenities
* Phase 3: Expansion to 20,000 permanent seats

PAETEC Park would be part of the bid for the Rhinos to join Major League Soccer (MLS). It is contingent that any new franchise wishing to join MLS demonstrate that they have a plan in place to play in a soccer-specific stadium (or possibly be operated by a National Football League franchise).

The park hit some minor stumbling blocks even before the first shovel hit dirt.

* The original designs needed to be revised when it was revealed that the playing field was below the water table.
* The environmental impact report revealed that the site had pockets of petroleum that needed to be treated.

Notwithstanding these roadblocks, Phase One of the construction has been completed, and the stadium had its grand opening on June 3, 2006, which featured the Rhinos’ first home game of the season. The game was played in front of a capacity crowd of 13,768 fans and ended in a 2-2 tie against the Virginia Beach Mariners.

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Rochester Raging Rhinos official website
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United Soccer Leagues
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