Autographs
Remember those days of hanging out after FC Cincinnati games and going down in the stands behind the team's bench area to get autographs? Well, COVID-19 protocols prevent that kind of activity now. But once restrictions are lifted, "the team will find a way to thank the fans who got us in this new stadium," says Dan Lolli, vice president of facilities and stadium general manager. No specifics on whether you'll eventually be able to get autographs the way you used to pre-pandemic.
(The) Bailey
There is space for 3,100 fans in The Bailey at TQL Stadium; the capacity was 1,700 in The Bailey at Nippert Stadium. FCC officials asked Bailey members what they wanted in their area. And they got almost everything they asked for: a safe-standing section (including railing), better sloping (for clear sightlines of the pitch), more seats, capo stands (where folks leading chants are), a drum stand and cup holders for everyone. Oh, and it is the only section with aluminum decking, which allows Bailey members to stomp and create more noise; the rest of the stadium has concrete floors.
Craft beer
There will be 169 taps throughout the stadium with 32 unique draft beer types, including local favorites Rhinegeist, Platform and Sam Adams. Coors Light and Heineken are well represented.
Diaper-changing stations
Nearly every restroom in the stadium will have a diaper-changing station, including male, female and family restrooms.
Elevators
There are 16 elevators. Each gate has at least two nearby. There are four elevators from Central Parkway to the main plaza by the Grand Staircase, in case fans prefer not to climb the steps. "We're trying to be as accessible as possible," Lolli says.
First aid
There are two Mercy Health first aid locations on the concourse, including one in the Guest Services center near the main gate.
Gates
There are six entrances for fans into the stadium, four of which are open to all fans. The main entrance, of course, is off Central Parkway and has the so-called Grand Staircase. That takes you up to the First Financial main gates. On the north side is the Workhorse Gate, off Central Avenue. The team store entrance on the north side is also a ticketed entry. On the south side is the Allegiant Gate on Central Avenue. On the west side is a premium ticket-only entrance for premium ticket holders. On the east side is an entrance for only First Financial Club ticket holders.
Heineken Bar at The Bailey
As you walk the concourse, you can't miss this one because it's pretty sizable. Directly behind The Bailey is the Heineken Bar at The Bailey, which is designed with speed of service in mind, Lolli says. There will be many brands of draft and canned beer here.
Ill
A Mercy Health doctor will be on-site for all games. Mercy Health has a long-standing partnership with FC Cincinnati.
Jerseys
You can get all your FCC gear at the two-story team store, the largest in an MLS-specific stadium and big enough to hold events and player signings. In 2019, FCC sold the second-most team merchandise in the league. The team store will be open seven days a week. Hours will be Monday through Friday – noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday – noon to 5 p.m.You can get customized jerseys with any name and number.
Kids
The ability to have kid-related activities is limited due to COVID-19 protocols, but eventually, there will be the Mercy Health Plaza on the southeast corner that will have kid-focused activities more like the fields next to Nippert Stadium at the University of Cincinnati. Oh, and this is fun: If you have a child 16 and under, you can go to the Guest Services center and request a "My first game at TQL Stadium" certificate.
Lights
There are nearly three miles of lights in the fins that go around much of the building. There are 513 exterior panels that make up the fins, a nod to Cincinnati's area code.
Meals
There are nine concession stands, two grab-and-go markets and four bars on the concourse. There are also 25 food and/or beverage carts. None of that includes the clubs or party deck.
Nursing mothers
There is a nursing room at the Guest Services center on the concourse near the main gate. It's one room. If you go there and the room is occupied, an FC Cincinnati staff member will escort you to another open room in the stadium. "We will find a solution," Lolli said.
Ode to OTR
The First Financial Club is considered a nod to the beer history in Over-the-Rhine. While excavating, workers found old Burger Brewery glass bottles, which will be on display. (The stadium is adjacent to the former brewery's site.) You can learn more about the various clubs, including this one, on Page 9.
Parking
Partnering with the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), there are more than 5,000 parking spots controlled on game day by the team. That's in addition to garages and parking lots in the area. The garage under the plaza of the stadium has 350 spots all of which are taken on game day by season-ticket holders. The team store has its own lot with free parking on non-game days.
Quick service
A soccer match rarely stops, so FC Cincinnati officials understand providing speedy service is important for fans. The food-and-beverage services' goal is to you back to your seat in two minutes. The team designed concessions with that in mind.
Restrooms
On the concourse, there are 20 restrooms: seven mens', nine womens' and four family. This, of course, does not include clubs and suite areas.
Scoreboard messages
Eventually, there will be a way to get messages on the scoreboards – at an undetermined cost. Keep an eye on TQLStadium.com.
Tours
Tours of the stadium are expected to start in June. Go to TQLStadium.com for tour info. Hours, costs and other details have not yet been finalized.
Uses for stadium other than soccer
FC Cincinnati officials expect the stadium to be in use for much more than home games. They expect to play host to soccer and high school football, concerts, perhaps lower-division college football. They also expect to hold roughly 150 private events a year in the clubs and other stadium locations, including fundraising events, luncheons, trade shows, beer festivals, weddings. In fact, the first wedding in the stadium will be in June. To learn more about having an event there, email Allison Linkhart at [email protected].
Video
There are more than 370 televisions in the stadium, including 51 on the concourse, 72 in suites and 84 in clubs. The rest are around concession stands, media booths and locker rooms.
Wheelchairs
There will be dedicated wheelchair attendants at every gate. They will help get people to their seats, and they will return at the end of games to help people leave. There will also be wheelchairs available if needed.
Xtra cash
TQL Stadium will be 100% cashless, but there will be three reverse ATMs to allow you to put in cash and get a Visa debit card in return that can be used in the stadium or anywhere Visa cards are accepted. There will be no service charge; the team is picking that up.
You
During the process of designing the stadium and determining amenities, FCC officials met several times with different groups of fans to talk about what would create the best experience for them. That meant for those in the Bailey, for elderly fans, younger fans, etc. The team tried to map out what the experience would be like for each.
Zappas
FCC hired George Zappas as the stadium's executive chef. Why is that a big deal? Zappas was previously the executive chief of Orchids at Palm Court. He left his position as executive chef of Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, where he oversaw Orchids, as well as all in-room dining, banquets and catering events. Read more about Zappas on Page 10.
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