Dick's Sporting Goods Park

About Dick's Sporting Goods Park

In Commerce City, Colorado, an 18,061-seat stadium hands the Colorado Rapids a real altitude edge and anchors one of the largest soccer complexes in the United States, a sprawl of full-size fields sitting just over a mile above sea level.

The stadium, designed by Populous, opened on April 7, 2007, part of a larger complex, commonly cited at about $131 million, that includes 23 full-size playing fields (21 natural Kentucky Bluegrass, 2 synthetic turf) plus the stadium pitch. Commerce City voters approved a bond of roughly $65 million to fund the supporting infrastructure, with Dick’s Sporting Goods signing a 20-year naming rights deal in November 2006 (the amount was never officially disclosed). The stadium is owned by Commerce City and operated by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

The altitude is the story. At just over a mile above sea level, the thin air noticeably saps stamina. Visiting teams not accustomed to the elevation, which is most of them, fatigue visibly in the final 30 minutes. The ball travels farther and faster through the thinner air, changing the geometry of every long pass and every shot from distance.

The complex has also become one of the most important youth and amateur soccer facilities in the country. State high school championships, national tournaments, adult recreation leagues, and USMNT and USWNT matches all share the same sprawling property. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, 15,000 acres of bison herds, eagles, and restored prairie, sits immediately adjacent, making this one of the more unusual settings for professional sports anywhere in America.

Getting to Dick's Sporting Goods Park

Public Transit

Transit options to DSG Park are limited, the stadium’s Commerce City location is not well served by Denver’s rail network.

Driving or rideshare is the most practical option for most fans. The free parking makes driving particularly appealing.

Driving + Parking

The stadium address is 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City, CO 80022. I-70 and I-270 are the primary approaches, with four entrances to the complex.

Parking is free for all Rapids matches. The complex has 15 paved lots with nearly 5,000 spaces (Lots A, AA, B, BB, C, D, E, F, G, H) plus overflow dirt lots. Tailgating is permitted in all lots, propane or charcoal grills allowed, must be extinguished before entering. No glass containers.

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft drop off and pick up on Victory Way near the west side of the stadium (Gate G area, Lot H). A $1.50 event surcharge may apply within 2 hours of scheduled events. From downtown Denver, expect $15–$25. From DEN airport, $25–$40.

From the Airport

Construction & Design

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was conceived as a soccer-specific home for the Colorado Rapids, ending years of the club sharing the Broncos’ Invesco Field. Populous, then HOK Sport, designed the venue, Turner Construction built the stadium, and Mortenson Construction developed the surrounding grounds. Ground was broken on September 28, 2005, and the stadium opened on April 7, 2007. The single-tier, open-air bowl seats 18,061 for matches and keeps sightlines tight to a natural Kentucky Bluegrass pitch, all of it sitting just over 5,200 feet, the highest elevation in MLS, with the Rocky Mountains and the adjacent Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge forming the backdrop.

What distinguishes the site is the scale beyond the bowl. The stadium anchors a tournament complex of 23 full-size fields, 21 natural-grass plus 2 synthetic, alongside the stadium pitch, one of the largest purpose-built soccer complexes in the United States and a year-round host for youth, high-school championship, amateur, and national-team play. The whole project was built on Commerce City land within the Prairie Gateway redevelopment.

Funding was a public-private arrangement. Commerce City voters approved a bond of roughly $65 million for the supporting infrastructure, while Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the Rapids’ owner, drove the stadium program. The full complex is commonly cited at about $131 million, and the stadium is owned by Commerce City and operated by Kroenke.

Two decades on, the venue has begun to modernize. A 2023 North Boundary redevelopment reworked the stadium’s north end into a field-level outdoor patio, the first of its kind in Denver sports, and added a new bar and an expanded supporters’ section. The changes updated a bowl designed in the mid-2000s while preserving the open ends that frame the Rocky Mountain skyline, the feature that has always set the ground apart from every other stadium in MLS.

History of Dick's Sporting Goods Park

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was built to give the Colorado Rapids a soccer-specific home after years of sharing Invesco Field (now Empower Field at Mile High) with the Broncos. The project broke ground on September 28, 2005, funded in part by a roughly $65 million bond approved by Commerce City voters.

First Match (April 7, 2007): The Colorado Rapids defeated D.C. United 2-1 in the stadium’s inaugural game, christening the new venue before a capacity crowd.

2007 MLS All-Star Game (July 19, 2007): MLS All-Stars defeated Celtic FC 2-0, with Juan Pablo Angel named MVP. The showcase event came just three months after the stadium opened, a rapid debut on the national stage.

SnowClásico (March 22, 2013): The USMNT defeated Costa Rica 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier played in blizzard conditions. Clint Dempsey scored the lone goal in the 16th minute on a pitch buried under nearly six inches of snow. Costa Rica’s FIFA protest was denied, and the image of players in a whiteout became one of the most famous photographs in American soccer.

2015 MLS All-Star Game (July 29, 2015): MLS All-Stars defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1, bringing the showcase event back to Commerce City for a second time in eight years.

2023 North Boundary Renovation: The north terrace was transformed into a field-level outdoor patio, the first of its kind in Denver sports, more than doubling the terrace’s capacity. Dale’s Bar was added at the south end, and the supporters’ section was expanded as part of an ongoing modernization effort.

From the altitude advantage to the SnowClásico to Phish’s 42-show residency, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park is where Colorado soccer lives, a sprawling complex at a mile high where the thin air does the work and the bison next door at the wildlife refuge outnumber the visiting team’s fans.

Sources & Further Reading

• Wikipedia entry on Dick’s Sporting Goods Park: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick’s_Sporting_Goods_Park. Capacity, dates, architect, the complex, and cost figures.
• CAA ICON, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park: caaicon.com. The project manager’s record of contractors, scope, and construction.
• Colorado Rapids, North Boundary redevelopment: coloradorapids.com. The team’s account of the venue and its recent renovation.
• Dick’s Sporting Goods Park official fan guide: dickssportinggoodspark.com. Seating, parking, and complex information.