Switchbacks Training Stadium is a 5,000-seat

soccer-specific stadium Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi-p ...

built in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At an altitude of roughly 6,600 feet above sea-level, the stadium was at the highest elevation of any primary home stadium used by a professional team in the

American soccer pyramid The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of pro ...

through the 2020 season. The stadium is immediately adjacent to UCHealth Park. After

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is a professional soccer team based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2014, the team is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The franchise is owned by Martin E R ...

were awarded a franchise in USL Pro, now known as the

USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...

, it was announced on June 14, 2014, that the Colorado Springs City Council had approved an agreement that gave the new franchise a ten-year lease on the site. On March 7, 2016, Sand Creek Stadium had a name proposal approved by the City of Colorado Springs Parks Department, and the name was changed to Switchbacks Stadium. This happened to avoid further confusion with the name of the nearby Sand Creek High School. On February 14, 2017, Weidner Apartment Homes purchased the stadium naming rights for an undisclosed amount, and the stadium was renamed Weidner Field. The "Weidner Field" name is now used for an 8,000-seat stadium in downtown Colorado Springs that opened in April 2021 as the new home of Switchbacks FC. The new venue, although sitting at a lower altitude of 6,035 feet, will remain the highest in elevation used by an American professional soccer team. The "Weidner Field" name was officially transferred from the old stadium to the new downtown venue on October 15, 2020.

References

External links

Switchbacks WebsiteWeidner Apartment Homes
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Sports venues in Colorado Springs, Colorado Soccer venues in Colorado Tourist attractions in Colorado Springs, Colorado 1985 establishments in Colorado Sports venues completed in 1985 USL Championship stadiums {{Colorado-stadium-stub