It's Dick's Sporting Goods Park Grand Opening Week!
COMMERCE CITY, CO (Tuesday, March 6, 2007) – The Colorado Rapids today announced the “Grand Opening Week” schedule for Colorado’s newest sporting facility, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
The week’s events, running from April 2-7, 2007, will celebrate the facility’s opening to the public, as well as scheduled appearances of the Rapids players and coaches with different events taking place every day, culminating with the main event, April 7th, the opening game of the 2007 MLS season, as well as the grand opening event of the complex.
MONDAY, APRIL 2: Rapids Kickoff Clinic, 4-6pm at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Fields
Kids ages 6-16 will get the opportunity to learn soccer skills from all the Rapids players and coaches, receive autographs, and meet the team in the only clinic this year featuring the entire team.
TUESDAY, APRIL 3: Rapids Foundation’s 8th Annual Kickoff Luncheon, 11am-1pm
The annual Rapids Kickoff Luncheon gives season ticket holders and the local soccer community a chance to meet with the Rapids, while hearing Head Coach Fernando Clavijo’s plan for the upcoming season for the first time and meet the players over lunch in huge tent outside the stadium. Proceeds benefit the Rapids Community Care Foundation.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4: Burgundy & Blue Game, 7:30-9pm
Open only to residents of Commerce City and season ticket holders, this is a special invite-only event. The Rapids will play their first-ever game inside the stadium, an inter-squad scrimmage. It’s a special thank-you to the citizens and community of Commerce City for their help in welcoming the Rapids and their brand-new stadium to their neighborhood.
Front Range Happy Hour, Pregame 4-6pm, at the Stadium Bar & Grill
This event, organized by The Front Range, the Rapids’ official supporters club, is designed by the fans, for the fans, for the club’s most ardent supporters to gather and celebrate the start of the upcoming 2007 season. The Happy Hour will take place in the bar & grill inside the stadium for Front Range members only, 21 and over.
THURSDAY, APRIL 5: Team Visit to North Suburban Medical Center, 1:30-2:30pm
Rapids players, coaches and cheerleaders will continue their annual tradition of visiting some of the patients in the wards at the hospital. They will pose for photos, sign autographs, and visit the children who are currently in care at the hospital. This event is closed to the public, except for media members.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7: Colorado Youth Soccer Opening Day, 10am-1pm on Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Fields
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will host the first official day of Colorado Youth Soccer’s spring season’s youth games in the state at the fields of the complex that day in the hours leading up to gametime. The fields surrounding the stadium will be packed with activities and kids’ games as the crowd arrives that day for the game. Youth teams or soccer clubs interested in participating should contact the Colorado Youth Soccer office for details.
2007 MLS First Kick & Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Inaugural Event: Rapids vs. DC United, 1:30pm on ABC
The Colorado Rapids' twelfth season kicks off in the largest and most state-of-the-art professional soccer stadium complex on Earth as Dick’s Sporting Goods Park officially opens for its first ever event on Saturday with the first MLS game of the season, the Rapids game live on nationwide TV on ABC.
For more information on any of the Colorado Rapids' 2007 Dick's Sporting Goods Park Grand Opening Week events, please call the Rapids at (303) 825-GOAL!