Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium

{{Short description|Multi-purpose stadium}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox venue | name = Rochester Community Sports Complex | nickname = | image = PAETEC Park overview.JPG | former_names = PAETEC Park (2006–2008) Marina Auto Stadium (2009–2010) Sahlen's Stadium (2011–2015) Rochester Rhinos Stadium (2015–2016) Capelli Sport Stadium (2017) Marina Auto Stadium (2018) | location = [[Rochester, New York]] | broke_ground = July 9, 2004 | opened = {{start date and age|2006|06|03}} | owner = [[Rochester, New York|City of Rochester]] | operator = Rochester Soccer Corp. | surface = [[FieldTurf]] | construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]35 million | architect = [[HOK Sport]] | tenants = [[Rochester Rhinos]] ([[USL Championship|USL]]) (2006–2017) [[Rochester Rattlers]] ([[Major League Lacrosse|MLL]]) (2006–2008, 2011–2014, 2017) [[Rochester Ravens|Rochester Rhinos Women]] ([[USL W-League (1995–2015)|WL]]) (2006–2008) [[Rochester Ravens|Rochester Ravens FC]] ([[USL W-League (1995–2015)|WL]]) (2009–2010) [[Rochester Raiders]] ([[Indoor Football League|IFL]]) (2010, 1 game) [[Western New York Flash]] ([[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]]) (2011–2016) Rochester Dragons ([[American Ultimate Disc League|AUDL]]) (2014, 1 game) [[Toronto FC II]] ([[USL Championship|USL]]) (2018, 4 games) [[Rochester Lancers (2015)|Rochester Lancers]] ([[National Premier Soccer League|NPSL]]) (2018) [[Rochester Lady Lancers]] ([[United Women's Soccer|UWS]]) (2018) [[Flower City Union]] (NPSL) (2022–present) | seating_capacity = 13,768 | record_attendance = 15,404 (July 20, 2011)<ref name="KennedySA">{{citation |last1=Kennedy|first1=Paul|title=Flash-magicJack game shatters crowd record|url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/43003/flash-magicjack-game-shatters-crowd-record.html|website=Soccer America|date=July 20, 2011 }}</ref> }}

'''Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium''', also called the "downtown soccer stadium", is a [[soccer-specific stadium]] in [[Rochester, New York]] within the Rochester Community Sports Complex. It is home to the [[Flower City Union]] of the [[National Premier Soccer League]]. Previously to the Flower City Union, the stadium was home in 2018 to the [[Rochester Lancers (2015)|Rochester Lancers]] and [[Rochester Lady Lancers|Lady Lancers]] of the NPSL and [[United Women's Soccer|UWS]], respectively. The stadium originally hosted the [[Rochester Rhinos]] of the [[USL Championship|USL]], the [[Rochester Rattlers]] of [[Major League Lacrosse|MLL]], and the [[Western New York Flash]] of the [[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]].

The stadium hosts other sporting events such as [[College soccer in the United States|collegiate soccer]], Rochester Rhinos Elite youth soccer games and practices, [[College football|American football]], [[field hockey]] and [[Drum and bugle corps (modern)|drum and bugle corps]] competitions as well as concerts, as well as occasionally hosting the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section V football championship and Far West Regional championship (played between Sections V and VI). It is owned by the City of Rochester and is operated as a youth sports complex.

==History== The stadium was designed by [[Populous (architects)|HOK Sport]] (now Populous). It was constructed on a filled-in section of the [[Erie Canal]]'s original routing through [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]]. This was also once the route of the [[Rochester Subway]], which was built in the old canal bed and ended operations in 1956. The facility was funded jointly by the state of [[New York (state)|New York]], the city of Rochester, and the Rhinos (the State of New York paying $23 million while the Rhinos and the city paid the remaining amount) with a total cost of some 30 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Somers |first=Brennan |date=June 11, 2019 |title=Mayor: 'Ideal' situation is to put dome on Rochester's soccer stadium |url=https://www.whec.com/news/mayor-ideal-situation-is-to-put-dome-on-rochesterrsquos-soccer-stadium/5385760/ |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613151219/https://www.whec.com/news/mayor-ideal-situation-is-to-put-dome-on-rochesterrsquos-soccer-stadium/5385760/ |archive-date=June 13, 2019 |access-date=July 21, 2024 |work=News10NBC}}</ref> Infrastructure improvements will be paid for by the city of Rochester.

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]], and the environmental impact report revealed that the site had pockets of petroleum that needed to be treated. The groundbreaking took place on July 9, 2004, and the first phase of the construction was completed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lowell|first1=Bud|title=At Last, PaeTec Park Groundbreaking|url=http://wxxinews.org/post/last-paetec-park-groundbreaking|access-date=18 July 2016|publisher=WXXI news}}</ref> The stadium had its grand opening (as '''PAETEC Park''') 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 draw against the [[Virginia Beach Mariners]].

On August 22, 2018, it was announced that the Rhinos, then on a 1-year hiatus from the United Soccer League, would be leaving Marina Auto Stadium to pursue building a new stadium in the suburbs of Rochester.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2018/08/22/rochester-rhinos-leaving-stadium-soccer/1064987002/|title=Rochester Rhinos look for new home in suburbs, plan to leave Marina Auto Stadium in city|website=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2018-12-27}}</ref>

In 2021, the city of Rochester added new facilities on the property that includes the stadium, by adding an indoor training facility to the Rochester Community Sports Complex.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.rochesterfirst.com/community/new-indoor-training-facility-opens-at-rochester-community-sports-complex/ |title=New indoor training facility opens at Rochester Community Sports Complex |date=September 9, 2021 |work=RochesterFirst.com |publisher=Nexstar Media Group}}</ref>

===Naming rights=== [[Naming rights]] to the park were purchased by [[PAETEC Holding Corp.|PAETEC Communications]], a local telecommunications company, in 2004 for a reported total of $23 million over 12 years. When the club changed ownership, the agreement was voided at the end of the 2008 season.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.rochesterhomepage.net/story/paetec-park-soon-to-change-names/d/story/hfCnzxqWs06dV6HRAhcBnA |title=PAETEC Park soon to change names - RochesterHomepage.net |access-date=2015-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721103549/http://www.rochesterhomepage.net/story/paetec-park-soon-to-change-names/d/story/hfCnzxqWs06dV6HRAhcBnA |archive-date=2015-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The stadium then became known as '''Rochester Rhinos Stadium'''. In mid-2009, the team had a raffle to determine the naming rights for the stadium. For each $1,000 an individual, group, company, or other entity paid to the Rhinos, they were given one chance to win the right to name the stadium. On May 30, 2009, the night of the Rhinos' 2009 home opener, Marina Auto Group, a [[Webster (town), New York|Webster]]-based automobile dealership group, won the raffle.<ref>[http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3835459 Rhinos Stadium Officially Renamed Marina Auto Stadium]</ref> The Marina Auto name was retained through 2010 under a traditional naming rights agreement.

On February 10, 2011, it was announced that the new name of the stadium would be '''Sahlen's Stadium''' after the deal with Marina Auto expired. This was part of a five-year naming rights agreement with [[Sahlen's]] Packing Company, Inc. of [[Buffalo, New York]], with an option to renew the agreement for another five years.<ref name="AdamsRBJ">{{cite news|last1=Adams|first1=Thomas|title=Hall of Famer gets kick out of front office post|url=http://www.rbj.net/print_article.asp?aID=194974|access-date=18 July 2016|publisher=Rochester Business Journal|date=10 May 2013}}</ref> The cost of the agreement was not released, but was estimated at $2 million.<ref name="BQIMS">{{citation|last1=Quarstad|first1=Brian|title=Rochester Rhinos Secure Naming Rights Partner for Stadium|url=http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/02/11/rochester-rhinos-secure-naming-rights-partner-for-stadium/|website=IMSoccer News|access-date=18 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724110940/http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/02/11/rochester-rhinos-secure-naming-rights-partner-for-stadium/|archive-date=24 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2015, the stadium operators announced that they would not exercise the option to continue the existing naming agreement with Sahlen's, but would instead seek a new agreement.<ref name="DNCFrontier">{{cite news|last1=Sharp|first1=Brian|title=Frontier re-ups on ballpark naming rights|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2015/12/02/frontier-rochester-ballpark-naming-rights/76622706/|access-date=18 July 2016|publisher=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle}}</ref> In the interim, the stadium reverted to being known as Rochester Rhinos Stadium.<ref name="DnCGrandVision">{{cite news|last1=DiVeronica|first1=Jeff|title=Grand plans, vision for ambitious new Rhinos owners|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/soccer/2016/03/10/grand-plans-new-vision-ambitious-new-rhinos-owners/81591988/|access-date=18 July 2016|publisher=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle}}</ref> On January 24, 2017, [[Capelli Sport]] entered a corporate partnership with the Rhinos and the stadium was renamed '''Capelli Sport Stadium'''.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news_article/show/749046?referrer_id=2995047|title=Rochester Rhinos, Capelli Sport Announce Major Partnership|publisher=Rochester Rhinos|date=January 24, 2017|access-date=March 7, 2017}}</ref>

Marina Auto Group entered into a new naming rights deal in 2018, reverting the name of the stadium back to '''Marina Auto Stadium'''.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.rhinossoccer.com/news_article/show/911122?referrer_id=2442447| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180426144314/https://www.rhinossoccer.com/news_article/show/911122?referrer_id=2442447| archive-date = 2018-04-26| title=Rochester Stadium Operations and Marina Auto Group Announce 2018 Stadium Naming Rights Agreement, Marina Auto Stadium}}</ref> Without a regular tenant from 2019 the facility became known as "the downtown soccer stadium" as part of the City of Rochester's Community Sports Complex.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=21474845211 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019053601/https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=21474845211 |archive-date=October 19, 2020 |title=City of Rochester {{!}} Rochester Sports Community Complex}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2018-08-22/rhinos-owners-say-they-are-leaving-the-downtown-stadium-looking-for-a-new-venue-locally |title=Rhinos' owners say they are leaving the downtown stadium; looking for a new venue locally |date=August 22, 2018 |work=WXXI News}}</ref>

==Events== The [[Rochester Rhinos]] and [[Rochester Ravens|Rochester Rhinos Women]] [[Association football|soccer]] teams of the [[USL First Division]] and [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|USL W-League]], respectively, and the [[Rochester Rattlers]] of [[Major League Lacrosse]] moved to the facility in 2006. The Rattlers were dissolved following the [[2008 MLL season]] but returned for the [[2011 MLL season]]. The Rochester Rhinos Women dissolved and were replaced by the [[Rochester Ravens]] in 2009; the Ravens were replaced by the [[Western New York Flash]] in 2011. The Flash then played matches in the stadium, including the [[2013 NWSL Championship|2013 NWSL championship match]], until they were purchased in January 2017 and moved to [[Cary, North Carolina]].

PAETEC Park hosted [[Steinfeld Cup|Major League Lacrosse championship weekend]] in 2007.

On June 5, 2010, the stadium was the site of the first outdoor game in [[Indoor Football League]] history as the [[Rochester Raiders]] faced off against the [[Chicago Slaughter]].

The [[Drum Corps Associates]] drum corps championships were held at the stadium each Labor Day weekend from 2006–2011. The championships returned to Rochester from 2014–2017 and also for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.dcacorps.org/?p=4292|title = Electric-back|date = August 25, 2015}}</ref>

===International friendlies=== * On September 13, 2006, the [[United States women's national soccer team]] (USWNT) played an international friendly against Mexico, winning 3–1 in front of 6,784. * On July 19, 2009, the USWNT played an international friendly against Canada in front of 8,433, winning 1–0 on a goal scored by Rochester native [[Abby Wambach]]. * On September 1, 2012, the USWNT played international friendly against Costa Rica in front of 13,208 fans as part of their 2012 Olympic championship celebration, winning 8–0. * On September 18, 2014, the USWNT played an international friendly against Mexico in front of 5,680 fans, winning 4–0. * In July 2006, the Rochester Rhinos hosted Sheffield Wednesday for an international friendly in front of 6,289 fans, losing 0–2.

Prior to the stadium's construction, the team also played matches at [[Frontier Field]] and at [[Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium]] in [[Brockport, New York|Brockport]].<ref name="USSFRochester">{{citation |title=U.S. Women's National Team Notes from Rochester |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/17/11/29/u-s-womens-national-team-notes-from-rochester|website=U.S. Soccer|access-date=18 July 2016}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}} {{succession box |title = Home of the [[Rochester Rhinos]] |before = [[Frontier Field]] |after= ''TBD'' |years = 2006–2017 }} {{succession box | title = Home of the [[Rochester Rattlers]] | years = 2006 – 2008 2011 – 2014 | before = [[Bishop Kearney High School (Irondequoit, New York)|Bishop Kearney Field]] [[Toyota Park (Bridgeview)|Toyota Park]] (as [[Rochester Rattlers|Chicago Machine]]) | after = [[BMO Field]] (as [[Toronto Nationals (lacrosse)|Toronto Nationals]]) [[Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium]] }} {{succession box |title = Host of [[Steinfeld Cup|Major League Lacrosse championship weekend]] |before = [[Dignity Health Sports Park|Home Depot Center Track Field]] |after = [[Harvard Stadium]] |years = 2007 }} {{end}}

{{Rochester Rhinos}} {{Rochester Sports}} {{City of Rochester, NY}} {{National Women's Soccer League stadiums}} {{Authority control}} {{coord|43|9|44.0|N|77|37|45.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=title}}

[[Category:Rochester Rhinos]] [[Category:Western New York Flash]] [[Category:Sports venues in Rochester, New York]] [[Category:Lacrosse venues in New York (state)]] [[Category:Former Major League Lacrosse venues]] [[Category:Soccer venues in New York (state)]] [[Category:Former National Women's Soccer League stadiums]] [[Category:Ultimate (sport) venues]] [[Category:2006 establishments in New York (state)]] [[Category:Sports venues completed in 2006]] [[Category:USL Championship stadiums]] [[Category:National Independent Soccer Association stadiums]] [[Category:Capelli Sport]]