A First-Timers Guide to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh - By: William Hauselberg

Heinz Field is located alongside the banks of the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pa. and serves as a football-only facility, serving as home for both the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers football teams. The stadium's capacity is 65,050 people and construction costs were an estimated $281 million dollars.

Heinz Field – A Long Time Coming

Heinz Field was opened in the fall of 2001, replacing Three Rivers Stadium which had served as home for the Panthers and Steelers from 1970 to 2000. Ground was broken in June, 1999 and the first event held in the new facility was a concert by 'N Sync on August 18, 2001. The Steelers first game at Heinz was an exhibition game a week later, August 25th, against the Detroit Lions. The first "official" football game played was between the Pittsburgh Panthers and East Tennessee State on September 1st. The Steelers were scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns on September 16th for the first professional official game, but the September 11 terrorist attacks caused all NFL games to be postponed, so it wasn't until October 7th that the Steelers finally got to play in their new stadium, hosting and defeating the Cincinnati Bengals.

Location, Location, Location

The location of Heinz Field, right across the river from downtown, is perfect for transportation on game days. Whether you're driving, taking a bus or a shuttle service or even arriving by riverboat, Pittsburgh has done a marvelous job of planning transportation to and from the stadium on game days, managing to avoid the traffic snafus most NFL cities experience on Sunday evenings. Heinz Field hotel rooms are in abundance in the vicinity of the stadium; at least a dozen of the most well-known hotels are within a mile of Heinz. Pittsburgh International Airport is approximately 30 minutes away and also offers a wide variety of Heinz Field lodging.

More to See Than the Game

Once inside Heinz Field, one of the most popular attractions is the Coca-Cola Great Hall, located on the east side of the stadium. The Great Hall is a veritable museum dedicated to the illustrious history of Pittsburgh football, both college and professional. Don't miss the Steelers display honoring the team's six world championships, more than any other franchise. Another popular attraction is the actual lockers of several Steelers legends, including Mean Joe Greene, Franco Harris and Bullet Bill Dudley.

Visiting Heinz Field on game days, whether it's for a Panthers or a Steelers game, is a wonderful experience for the entire family, and one sure to be revisited.

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