When it opened in May 1999, this was the first stadium a Major League Soccer team ever built for soccer alone. It went by Columbus Crew Stadium, then Mapfre Stadium, before the Crew moved downtown in 2021. The place never went quiet. The Crew still trains here, its reserve side Columbus Crew 2 plays home matches on the field, and the Columbus Aviators brought spring pro football to it in 2026.
A stadium with a stage
Concerts came early. NSYNC played here in 2001, and by 2008 the stadium had a permanent stage built into the north end. Dave Matthews Band played that same year, Kenny Chesney came through on three separate tours, and Green Day played in 2021. With fans on the field, a concert can pull 25,000 to 30,000 people, well past the roughly 20,000 seats used for soccer.
The biggest weekend on the grounds belongs to Sonic Temple, the rock and metal festival that took over from Rock on the Range in 2019. If loud guitars are why you are reading this, keep an eye on our hard rock calendar and the festivals page.
Parking at the fairgrounds
The stadium sits on the grounds of the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, right beside I-71 between East 17th Avenue and East Hudson Street. That location is the whole parking story. Event parking is in the Expo Center lots south of the stadium off 17th Avenue, and on a festival weekend the line of cars waiting to pay can back up toward the highway. Leave early, have payment ready, and expect a slow exit.
Be wary of anyone selling Expo Center lot parking in advance online. The Expo Center has flagged those sales as scams and takes payment at the lot.
Show night tips
- Field tickets usually mean standing. A seat in the stands buys you a place to sit and a full view over the crowd.
- Stadium bag rules are strict. Check the policy on your ticket before you pack.
- The bowl is open to the sky, so plan for sun on a summer afternoon and rain gear if the forecast is mixed.
- For a big outdoor show on campus instead, see our guide to Ohio Stadium.