Acrisure Stadium
Acrisure Stadium, formerly (and still colloquially) known as Heinz Field, is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Pittsburgh Panthers of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The stadium opened in 2001 as Heinz Field, following the controlled implosion of the teams' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium. In 2021, the H. J. Heinz Company declined to renew the stadium's naming rights. The City of Pittsburgh green-lit Acrisure's bid to purchase the rights in 2022.
Not to be confused with Acrisure Arena.Former names
Heinz Field (2001–2022)
100 Art Rooney Avenue
129
73,117 (Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour, June 17, 2023)[5]
Kentucky bluegrass (2009–present)[6]
June 18, 1999
August 18, 2001
2007
2015
US$281 million
($484 million in 2023 dollars[7])
NW Getz & Associates, Inc.[9]
Bliss & Nyitray, Inc
M-E Engineers, Inc.[8]
Funded in conjunction with PNC Park and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the $281 million (equivalent to $483.52 million in 2023) stadium stands along the Ohio River, on the North Side of Pittsburgh in the North Shore neighborhood. The stadium was designed with the city of Pittsburgh's history of steel production in mind, which led to the inclusion of 12,000 tons of steel into construction.[10] Ground for the stadium was broken in June 1999, and the first football game was hosted in September 2001. The stadium's natural-grass surface has been criticized throughout its history, but Steelers owners have kept the grass after lobbying from players and coaches. The 68,400-seat stadium has sold out for most Steelers home games, a streak that dates to 1972. A collection of Steelers and Panthers memorabilia is in the Great Hall.
The stadium has hosted two outdoor hockey games: the 2011 NHL Winter Classic between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, and the 2017 NHL Stadium Series game between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. The venue has also hosted numerous concerts; on June 17, 2023, Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour performance was attended by 73,117 people, the highest-ticketed event in Pittsburgh history.[5]
History[edit]
Planning and funding[edit]
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates shared Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. After discussions over the Pirates building a full-time baseball park, a proposal was made to renovate Three Rivers Stadium into a full-time football facility.[11] Although the Steelers' owners disliked the idea, the proposal was used as a "fallback position" that would be used if discussions for a new stadium failed.[12] The Steelers' owners said failing to build a new stadium would hurt the franchise's chances of signing players who might sign with other teams, such as the other three in the Steelers division, who had all recently built new football-only stadiums.[13] In June 2001, the H. J. Heinz Company purchased the naming rights to the stadium.[14] Per the deal, Heinz would pay the Steelers a total of $57 million through 2021, the "57" being an intentional reference to Heinz 57.[15] Despite Heinz later announcing its acquisition of Kraft Foods Group to form Kraft Heinz Company in 2015, the stadium's name was retained.[16]
Originally, a sales tax increase was proposed to fund three projects: Heinz Field, PNC Park, and an expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. After the rejection of this proposal in a 1997 referendum known as the "Regional Renaissance Initiative", the city developed the alternate funding proposal Plan B.[17] Similarly controversial, the proposal was labeled Scam B by opponents.[18] The Steelers' pledge toward the new stadium was criticized for being too little, even after it was raised from $50 million to $76.5 million.[11][19] Other local government members criticized the $281 million of public money allocated for Plan B.[11][20] One member of the Allegheny Regional Asset District board called the use of tax dollars "corporate welfare".[21] The plan, totaling $809 million, was approved by the Allegheny Regional Asset District board on July 9, 1998, with $233 million allotted for Heinz Field.[21][22] Shortly after Plan B was approved, the Steelers made a deal with Pittsburgh city officials to stay in the city until at least 2031.[18] The total cost of Heinz Field was $281 million.[23]
Features[edit]
Playing surface[edit]
In June 2001, Kentucky Bluegrass was laid on the field,[10] at half the height of most NFL field's 2-inch (51 mm) grass. The field is heated from below, using a mixture of antifreeze and hot water, to keep the field at around 62 °F (17 °C) in order to keep the grass growing year-round.[35] The field was re-surfaced multiple times, until the synthetic-enhanced Desso GrassMaster was installed in 2003.[78] Debate continued over the surface after players began slipping during game play. Despite this players and coaches of Pitt, the Steelers, and their opponents supported keeping the current turf.[79]
Seating expansion[edit]
The Steelers notified the Pittsburgh Stadium Authority in December 2010 of their intention to add up to 4,000 seats to the lower southern end of the stadium. The plan would increase seating up to 69,050 as soon as the 2012 NFL season.[98] Seating was added in that section for the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, which had an attendance of 68,111. The temporary seating was left in place for the 2010–11 NFL playoffs, with the AFC Championship game on January 23 having a record attendance of 66,662.[99]
On April 12, 2012, the Steelers confirmed they would seek approval from the NFL to expand seating by 3,000.[100] On May 19, 2014, after more than two years, the Steelers and the SEA came to an agreement to add about 3,000 seats to the venue.[101] After contractors surveyed the complex the final number of 2,390 added seats with five additional suites including more parking, restrooms and concessions was determined in December 2014 to increase capacity to a total of 68,400. The seating was put in place by the summer of 2015.[102]
On September 10, 2016, the then largest crowd of 69,983 to ever see a sporting event in Pittsburgh watched the Pitt Panthers defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions, 42–39 as they renewed their rivalry in football.
On September 1, 2022, a crowd of 70,622 fans broke the record attendance for a sporting event in Pittsburgh again, as No. 17 Pitt defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 38–31 in the first Backyard Brawl since 2011.
Transportation access[edit]
Acrisure Stadium is located at Exit 1B of Interstate 279 within a mile of direct access to both Interstate 376 and Interstate 579. The stadium also has dedicated elevated walkway access to the Allegheny Station of the Light Rail/Subway system. On Steelers and Pitt Panthers game days, access is also provided from Station Square parking facilities via the Gateway Clipper Fleet.[103]
