Icahn Stadium

Icahn Stadium is a 5,000 seat track and field and multipurpose facility located on Randalls Island in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Designed within the former site of Downing Stadium, the complex opened on April 23, 2005 and is named after American businessman Carl Icahn who made a $10 million donation towards the construction of the new stadium. It features an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Class 1 certified running track with a 400-meter Mondo Super X Performance surface. It has been the site of many international, national, and regional track and field events.BackgroundIcahn Stadium was built in replacement of Downing Stadium. The previous was originally opened in 1936 as part of a larger New York City Parks project that included the construction of the Triborough Bridge. The opening of Downing Stadium made history as the facility hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1936, at which Jesse Owens qualified for two events in the upcoming Berlin Olympics. Downing Stadium also made history in 1939 as the site of the first televised college football game, Fordham vs. Waynesburg. The site went on to be home to the New York Cosmos soccer team, various sporting events and summer concerts. The stadium lights, which were taken from Ebbets Field after it was torn down, were left in place to light the new field.