INVESCO FIELD AT MILE HIGH

'INVESCO Field at Mile High' is a stadium in Denver, Colorado. INVESCO Field at Mile High replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium (named for the fact that Denver is exactly one mile above sea level) in 2001.

Contents

Naming Rights Controversy

Usage

Location

Notable Events

Facts & Figures

Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

References

External links

Naming Rights Controversy

Many fans opposed a corporate name and wished to retain the previous venue's name, "Mile High Stadium."^[1] The Denver Post initially refused to use the INVESCO label and referred to it as Mile High for several years before changing their policy and adding INVESCO to articles.

Usage

INVESCO Field is used primarily for football games. It is the home field for Denver's NFL team, the Denver Broncos. The stadium also hosts the city's Major League Lacrosse team, the Denver Outlaws. In college football it has hosted the rivalry game between the Colorado State Rams and the Colorado Buffaloes. INVESCO Field is also used for concerts and other events. It was the former home of the city's Major League Soccer franchise, the Colorado Rapids.

Location

INVESCO Field marks the completion of a six-year sporting venue upgrade program in Denver, including Coors Field and Pepsi Center. As with the other venues, the stadium was constructed to be easily accessible. It sits along Interstate 25 near the Colfax Avenue and 17th Avenue exits. It is also bordered by Federal Boulevard, a major Denver thoroughfare, on the west side. A dedicated light rail station also serves the stadium. The stadium is located in the Sun Valley neighborhood.

Notable Events

The first ever event at the new stadium was a concert by the rock group Eagles.
On September 10,2001 INVESCO Field hosted its first regular season game, in which the Denver Broncos defeated the New York Giants 31-20. In a pre-game ceremony Broncos legends John Elway, Steve Atwater, Randy Gradishar, Haven Moses, Billy Thompson, Floyd Little, Dennis Smith, and Karl Mecklenburg helped to "Move the Thunder" from the old Mile High Stadium to the new home of the Broncos.
In August 2004 the stadium hosted the Drum Corps International Division I World Championships.
On July 2, 2005 INVESCO Field hosted the 2005 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game. In 2006, Major League Lacrosse placed the expansion Outlaws in Denver.

Facts & Figures

★ $364,200,000.00

★ 76,125 Seat Stadium

★ 1.7 million ft² (158,000 m²) of space

★ 530 TV monitors displayed throughout the stadium

★ 85,000 yd³ (65,000 m³) of concrete

★ 256 miles (412 km) of post tensioning cable

★ 2,100,000 ft² (195,000 m²) of asphalt paving

★ 200,000 pounds (91 t) of aluminum

★ 12,000 tons of structural steel

★ 3,861,000 field work hours

★ 12,000,000 pounds (5,400 t) of reinforcing steel

★ 130,000 bricks

★ 1.6 million masonry blocks

★ 1,500 plumbing fixtures

★ 25,000 light fixtures
(Source: INVESCO Field Website)

Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

★ Quarterback John Elway (1983-1998), 1999 Inductee

★ Safety Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin (1960-1966), 1984 Inductee

★ Linebacker Randy Gradishar (1974-1983), 1989 Inductee

★ Defensive End Rich Jackson (1967-1972), 1984 Inductee

★ Linebacker Tom Jackson (1973-1986), 1992 Inductee

★ Quarterback Charley Johnson (1972-1975), 1986 Inductee

★ Running Back Floyd Little (1967-1975), 1984 Inductee

★ Linebacker Karl Mecklenburg (1983-1994), 2001 Inductee

★ Quarterback Craig Morton (1977-1982), 1988 Inductee

★ Wide Receiver Haven Moses (1972-1981), 1988 Inductee

★ Former Owner Gerald H. Phipps, 1985 Inductee

★ Safety Dennis Smith (1981-1994), 2001 Inductee

★ Defensive End Paul Smith (1968-1978), 1986 Inductee

★ Wide Receiver Lionel Taylor (1960-1966), 1984 Inductee

★ Defensive Back Bill Thompson (1969-1981), 1987 Inductee

★ Quarterback Frank Tripucka (1960-1963), 1986 Inductee

★ Kicker Jim Turner (1971-1979), 1988 Inductee

★ Cornerback Louis Wright (1975-1986), 1993 Inductee

★ Tackle Gary Zimmerman (1993-1997), 2003 Inductee

★ Free Safety Steve Atwater (1989-1998), 2005 Inductee
(Source: Denver Broncos website)
While the ring of fame was carried over from the old stadium to the new, the names were re-ordered to segregate the pre-Pat Bowlen (the team's owner and founder of the Ring) era and the post-Bowlen era. One of the most noticeable changes was the move of John Elway's name to the center of the ring, in-between the goalposts of the North endzone. ^[2]

References

1. A Mile High Controversy Gregory E. Favre
2. Kickoff: Birth of a Stadium Kyle Ringo

External links

★ Official INVESCO Field at Mile High Website

★ Aerial view