WakeMed Soccer Park

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WakeMed Soccer Park
WakeMed Soccer Park.PNG
SASSoccerPark2.jpg
WakeMed Soccer Park
Former namesState Capital Soccer Park (2001–2002)
SAS Soccer Park (2002–2007)
Location Cary, North Carolina, U.S.
OwnerWake County
OperatorTown of Cary
Capacity 10,000 [1] [2]
SurfaceNatural Grass
Construction
Broke ground2001
OpenedMay 2002
Construction cost$14.5 million (plus $6.3 million expansion)
ArchitectEnvirotek, Inc.
Tenants
Carolina Courage (WUSA) (2001–2003)
NC State Wolfpack (NCAA) (2002–2007)
North Carolina FC (USLC) (2007–present)
Raleigh Flyers (AUDL) (2015–present)
North Carolina Courage (NWSL) (2017–present)
North Carolina FC U23 (USL2) (2002–2009, 2011–present)
Website
https://www.townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/facilities/wakemed-soccer-park

WakeMed Soccer Park is a soccer complex in Cary, North Carolina, United States. It consists of a purpose-built, soccer-specific main stadium named WakeMed Soccer Park Stadium, two lighted practice fields, and four additional fields. The main stadium and the two lighted fields (2 & 3) are all FIFA international regulation size (120 by 75 yards (110 m × 69 m)). The stadium seats 10,000, while Field 2 also has 1,000 permanent bleacher seats. The complex also sports a full-length cross-country course and houses the offices of Triangle Professional Soccer.

Contents

Originally opened in 2002 as the home of the Carolina Courage of the WUSA, WakeMed Soccer Park is now the home to North Carolina FC of the USL Championship and the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League. The North Carolina State Wolfpack men's and women's teams of the ACC play select matches there and the complex hosts tournaments such as the NCAA College Cup, the ACC Soccer Championships, and the NCHSAA high school state soccer finals.

Construction history

East Stand Of Renovated Stadium in 2014 WakeMed Soccer Park 2013.jpg
East Stand Of Renovated Stadium in 2014

WakeMed Soccer Park opened in May 2002 as State Capital Soccer Park. The park is on 150 acres (0.61 km2) that the state of North Carolina has leased to Wake County. Money to build the soccer park came from $14.5 million in county-wide hotel room and prepared food and beverage taxes. The Town of Cary assumed responsibility for operations and maintenance in 2004 from Capital Area Soccer League. On January 26, 2006, the Town of Cary council amended its lease to allow it to sublet the property to Triangle Professional Soccer through the year 2011 for the exclusive promotion of professional soccer and lacrosse events at the complex.

Expansion

In November 2011, the Town of Cary kicked off a $6.3 million expansion project. The finished expansion added 3,000 permanent seats to the 7,000-seat stadium, 1,500 of the seats going to the north end zone and the other 1,500 to upper-level stands on the east side of the stadium. Also added on the east side were a new three-story building to provide restrooms, concessions, and access to the additional seating from the third floor. Team locker rooms were relocated to the ground level of the new structure to allow players direct access to the stadium from midfield and direct access from their team bus to the locker rooms. [3]

Naming rights

SAS Institute, a Cary-based software company, had naming rights to the complex through June 30, 2007, with the option to extend their naming rights for an additional three years. On September 27, 2007, the Town of Cary announced that SAS had not exercised their option on the naming rights and that WakeMed Health & Hospitals had purchased the naming rights to the complex for $300,000 per year. [4] Effective January 1, 2008, the complex became known as WakeMed Soccer Park. On March 31, 2017, it was announced that Sahlen Packing Company had acquired naming rights to the main stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, thus becoming Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Sahlen's paid $400,000 over 5 years for the rights, with $100,000 going to the town of Cary and the rest to the North Carolina Courage. [5] On April 30, 2021, WakeMed renewed its agreement through 2023. [6]

Notable events

Cross-country events

The grounds also host multiple high school cross-country races. Including dual meets, high school conference championships, Mid-East Region Championship, and the Nike Team Southeast National Regional meets. The course starts and ends behind the practice fields and runs along the perimeter of the grounds. It is known to give personal bests even with a difficult hill which must be run twice. The course record for the 5k distance is 14:32.2 by Brodey Hasty at the 2016 Great American Cross Country Festival. In recent years it has held the Atlantic Coast Conference's conference championship.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game</span> Football match

The 2019 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game was played on December 15, 2019, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina and determined the winner of the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament, the national collegiate soccer championship in the United States. This was the 61st edition of the oldest active competition in United States college soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game</span> Football match

The 2021 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game was played on December 12, 2021, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina and determined the winner of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament, the national collegiate soccer championship in the United States. This was the 63rd edition of the oldest active competition in United States college soccer.

The 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference men's soccer tournament was the 33rd edition of the ACC Men's Soccer Tournament. The tournament decided the Atlantic Coast Conference champion and guaranteed representative into the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. The final was played at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, NC.

The 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer tournament was the 32nd edition of the ACC Women's Soccer Tournament. The tournament decided the Atlantic Coast Conference champion and guaranteed representative into the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament. The semifinals and final were played at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, NC.

The 2020 ACC men's soccer tournament was the 34th edition of the ACC Men's Soccer Tournament. The tournament decided the Atlantic Coast Conference champion and guaranteed representative into the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. The final will be played at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina.

The 2021 ACC men's soccer tournament will be the 35th edition of the ACC Men's Soccer Tournament. The tournament will decide the Atlantic Coast Conference champion and guaranteed representative into the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. The final will be played at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina.

The 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer tournament was the 33rd edition of the ACC Women's Soccer Tournament, which decided the Atlantic Coast Conference champion. All rounds were played at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, NC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game</span> Football match

The 2020 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game was played on May 17, 2021, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina and determined the winner of the 2020 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, the national collegiate soccer championship in the United States. This was the 62nd edition of the oldest active competition in United States college soccer.

The 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer tournament was the 34th edition of the ACC Women's Soccer Tournament, which decided the Atlantic Coast Conference champion. Florida State was the defending champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game</span> Football match

The 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game was played on December 12, 2022, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina and determined the winner of the 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, the national collegiate soccer championship in the United States. This was the 64rd edition of the oldest active competition in United States college soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 NCAA Division I women's soccer championship game</span> Football match

The 2018 NCAA Division I women's soccer championship game was played on December 8, 2018, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, and determined the winner of the 2018 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, the national collegiate women's soccer championship in the United States. This was the 37th. edition of this tournament organised by the NCAA.

References

  1. ↑ "Oops! Sorry, something went wrong | Carolina RailHawks". Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  2. ↑ "WakeMed Soccer Park – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Soccer Park Expansion Kicks off in Cary". Archived from the original on December 20, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Town of Cary and WakeMed Announce Soccer Partnership". Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  5. ↑ Gargan, Henry. "WakeMed Soccer Park's main stadium gets a name". newsobserver.com. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  6. ↑ "WakeMed Extends Soccer Park Naming Rights Through 2023" (Press release). North Carolina FC. April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2023.

35°47′10.19″N78°45′18.38″W / 35.7861639°N 78.7551056°W / 35.7861639; -78.7551056

Events and tenants
Preceded by Men's College Cup host
2005
2007
2009
2014
2019-2022
2025		Succeeded by
Preceded by Women's College Cup host
2003–2004
2006
2008
2010
2013
2015
2018
2020
2022-2024		Succeeded by
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