PAETEC Park - Definition and Overview

PAETEC Park is a soccer-specific stadium currently being constructed in Rochester, New York for the Rochester Raging Rhinos soccer team of the A-League. The stadium, designed by HOK Sports Facility Group, will also host other sporting events such as Rochester Rattlers lacrosse games, collegiate soccer and football, field hockey and marching band competitions as well as concerts.

PAETEC Park is being funded jointly by the state of New York and the Rhinos (the state paying $15 million while the Rhinos 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 $12.8 million over a 22 to 30 year period.

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

• Phase 1: 17,000 seats (12,500 permanent seats in the lower bowl, 4500 bleacher seats in the upper bowl).
• Phase 2: 20 Luxury boxes
• 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. The Rhinos' current ground is at Frontier Field (a baseball park).

The park has 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.

External links

• The Rochester Rhino's PAETEC Park about page. (http://www.rhinossoccer.com/stadium/about/)