Energizing Downtown Colorado Springs
Switchbacks FC Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colorado
This facility brings a flexible entertainment venue to the heart of Colorado Springs. The stadium is composed of three distinct elements: an 85,000-sq.-ft. playing field and event surface, a three-story, multi-function west building complex, and an elevated concourse surrounding the playing field. The facility includes a 240-seat, multi-use banquet room, a 4,000-sq.-ft. restaurant concept, sports performance and training facilities, and serves as an anchor for future development opportunities.
About
The Project
The Switchbacks FC Stadium is a multi-use facility that can accommodate a variety of sporting and entertainment events in downtown Colorado Springs. It features a rectangular field of play and serves as the permanent home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club (FC) soccer team. At 6,600 feet above sea level, the stadium is at the highest elevation of any primary home stadium used by a professional team.
The Switchbacks FC Stadium was designed as a soccer-first facility but can also be used for other field-based sports such as lacrosse, field hockey, and football. The stadium also hosts a yearly schedule of concerts, and the field level can be used to expand the capacity to 15,000 spectators.
Fast
Facts
- The lighting, speakers, jumbotron, ribbon board, canopy LEDs, and sculpture LEDs are all synced for spectacular light and sound shows during big moments at the stadium.
- The soccer field can become a stage with additional seating, transforming the stadium's 8,000-seat capacity to 15,000 for concerts and other events.
- The project team began coordinating with the city months before delivery to develop a special route for the massive sculpture, which highlights the primary entrance to the stadium. Several streetlights were dismounted and remounted to provide clearance for the sculpture.
The Epicenter
One of the more unique features of this build is a 25-foot sculpture titled the "Epicenter" located at the stadium's entrance. This large sculpture was fabricated offsite and delivered in massive sections, requiring street closures throughout the city. Collaboration with the city and manufacturer was key to the success of installing the spectacle.
The sphere is made of polished stainless steel and has two 66-foot rings above it. The mirror finish required more than 6,000 hours of hand polishing. It is a one-of-a-kind piece of art that energizes this corner of Downtown Colorado Springs.
A New Type of Playing Field
The synthetic playing field is made of an infill material called Corkonut. Consisting of coconut fiber and cork infill, Greenplay’s Corkonut turf is safer for players, provides a cooler surface, and is environmentally friendly. Standard turf fields consist of crumb rubber and Corkonut turf is an artificial turf with a plant-based, natural infill system.
The field features a one-inch shock pad under the field for player protection. This product is innovative due to the level of protection it offers while still providing water permeability for proper field drainage. This combination of products is the first of its kind to be certified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
The Epicenter
One of the more unique features of this build is a 25-foot sculpture titled the "Epicenter" located at the stadium's entrance. This large sculpture was fabricated offsite and delivered in massive sections, requiring street closures throughout the city. Collaboration with the city and manufacturer was key to the success of installing the spectacle.
The sphere is made of polished stainless steel and has two 66-foot rings above it. The mirror finish required more than 6,000 hours of hand polishing. It is a one-of-a-kind piece of art that energizes this corner of Downtown Colorado Springs.
A New Type of Playing Field
The synthetic playing field is made of an infill material called Corkonut. Consisting of coconut fiber and cork infill, Greenplay’s Corkonut turf is safer for players, provides a cooler surface, and is environmentally friendly. Standard turf fields consist of crumb rubber and Corkonut turf is an artificial turf with a plant-based, natural infill system.
The field features a one-inch shock pad under the field for player protection. This product is innovative due to the level of protection it offers while still providing water permeability for proper field drainage. This combination of products is the first of its kind to be certified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).