Lockhart Stadium
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Lockhart Stadium
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The Fusion at Lockhart Stadium
Stadium Resources
Other Resources Amazon.COM Stadium Books Nearly two decades after the likes of Pele, George Best and Franz Beckenbauer trod the turf of Lockhart Stadium, the hallowed ground made a spectacular return to the national spotlight on March 15, 1998, when Carlos Valderrama and the Miami Fusion returned top-flight professional soccer to South Florida in a historic matchup with Marco Etcheverry and DC United.
Over the course of just three months before opening day, Fusion Investor-Operator Kenneth A. Horowitz spent nearly $5 million - with no taxpayer dollars - to transform Lockhart from a modest high school athletics facility into the nation's premier professional-soccer stadium.
The result - a soccer-specific stadium created at a fraction of the cost of a new facility - set a new standard for MLS venues, creating a uniquely "fan-friendly" environment, where the front row seats are only 16 feet from the action.
"We are committed to providing South Florida fans with the best-possible venue for enjoying the sport we all love," said Fusion Chief Operating Officer Betty D'Anjolell. "Fans will continue to see changes over the years."
Last season, fans enjoyed an impressive first phase of improvements at Lockhart: the playing field and running track were replaced with a top-notch FIFA-regulation pitch 75 yards by 116 yards (the widest in MLS); new stands were added to the east and west ends of the stadium; new scoreboards and a new public address system were installed; bleacher seats on the sidelines were replaced with chairs and bench backs; luxury sky tents were constructed; new concession areas were added; a new broadcast facility was built atop the existing press box; and new lights were installed.
Just a few of the changes aimed at improving the fan experience in 1999 include a new "Soccer Celebration" interactive soccer theme park for children, enhanced landscaping for the stadium grounds and new flooring for the "Corner Kick" hospitality area.
Lockhart's 1998 debut - in front of a record, sell-out crowd of 20,450 and a national television audience on ABC - was stellar, perhaps marking the beginning of a new era for professional soccer in the U.S. No longer must MLS games take place in cavernous football stadiums or on narrow fields. Offering the intimacy and warmth of soccer stadiums common throughout South America and Europe, Lockhart became the first stadium in the U.S. reconstructed specifically for top-flight professional soccer.
After the Fusion's opening game, Commissioner Douglas G. Logan called Lockhart "the prototype for the future of MLS."
"We need a dozen of these stadiums across the country," said U.S. National Team Head Coach Bruce Arena, then the coach for DC United.
Lockhart has paved the way for what Logan says he hopes will be one new soccer-specific stadium each season for the league. The first to follow the lead of Horowitz and the Fusion is the Columbus Crew and its investor-operators, Lamar Hunt and family, who in the 1999 season unveilled the Crew's newly constructed soccer stadium, seating 22,500 fans.
Lockhart proved a friendly setting for the Fusion, which enjoyed a home record of 11-5 at home, compared with a 4-12 record on the road. Lockhart hosted its first-ever MLS playoff game Oct. 4, when the Fusion battled DC United to a gritty 0-0 tie before falling in a shootout tiebreaker.
"Stepping onto the field at Lockhart on opening day was the most memorable moment of my soccer career," said Fusion goalkeeper Jeff Cassar. "What an atmosphere."
Lockhart has been an integral part of South Florida soccer for more than 20 years. Between 1977 and 1983, it was the home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, one of the most successful clubs in U.S. Soccer history during the days of the NASL. For the past several years, the stadium has played host to the Umbro Select College All-Star Classic, an annual soccer event that showcases the best young talent in the sport.
Almost 20 years after Lockhart hosted two Olympic qualifying game for the U.S. National Team in 1980, international soccer returned the stadium when DC United achieved perhaps the most significant victory in the history of U.S. professional soccer. United, the CONCACAF champion, knocked off Brazilian and South American Champion Vasco da Gama at Lockhart, 2-0 (2-1 aggregate), Dec. 5, 1998, to capture the InterAmerican Cup, the club championship of the Western Hemisphere.
A month later, the U.S. Women's National Team thrashed Portugal, 6-0, with Michelle Akers scoring her 100th career goal. In February, the U.S. Men's National Team downed Chile, 2-1, with Wortmann assisting Bruce Arena and the Fusion's Leo Cullen making his first-ever appearance with the full National Team.
Originally built in 1959 as an athletic facility for local high schools, the stadium is part of a sports complex that also includes Fort Lauderdale Stadium - the Fusion's regular-season training site and the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles. Lockhart is conveniently located just west of I-95, between Commercial Blvd. and Cypress Creek Rd. Lockhart is owned by the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Source: Miami Fusion
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