Talen Energy Stadium (Chester, PA)

Talen Energy Stadium (formerly known as PPL Park) is an American football stadium located in Chester, Pennsylvania, and is home to the Philadelphia All-Union League Football. The project is the result of a combined commitment of $ 30 million from the state of Delaware and $ 47 million from the state of Pennsylvania.Talen Energy is a sponsor of the naming rights of the stadium.

The stadium is located on the Chester Embankment along the Delaware River, in the southwestern corner of the Commodore Barry Bridge. Talen Energy Stadium was designed to become a catalyst for economic development on the embankment, with additional plans to move along the river among other entertainment, commercial and residential projects. The stadium was built by TN Ward, based in Ardmore.

Basic information

Arena capacity: 18,500 spectators

Address: 1 Stadium Dr, Chester, PA 19013, USA.

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 39 ° 49′56 ″ n. 75 ° 22′44 ″ w.

Year of construction: June 27, 2010

Cost of construction: 138 million dollars

Field: Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass measuring 120 × 75 yards

Seating Plan of Talen Energy Stadium

Union Bench & Visitor Bench:

• Union Bench — Union sideline in front of Section 106;
• Visitor bench — the sideline for guests is in front of section 108.

Shaded & Covered Seats

About 25% of all seats in the Talen Energy stadium offer some type of shade or cover. Below is a sample of the seats that are at least partially covered or shaded at different times of the day.

• Lines J and above in section 103 are covered.

Support section

The support section at the Talen Energy stadium is located in sections 134-140. All seats in the fans section are common, and fans in this section are encouraged to stand and sing throughout the match.

Where to buy tickets?

The ticket office opens five (5) hours before the start of the Union match. For matches on weekdays, we are open from 9:00. We will be open before the start of the 2nd half of the match.

Please visit the box office if your ticket or subscription has been lost, stolen or otherwise needs to be reprinted. Please bring your order confirmation, photo ID and credit card used to purchase the ticket.

If you pick up tickets on call, please carry a photo ID in the call window. The name on the photo ID must match the name under which the tickets were left.

Tickets for future matches can be purchased at the main box office before opening the gate. Once at the stadium, please visit the ticket pre-sale window in section 120 to purchase tickets for future matches.

If you want to talk to a Union Account manager or a Fan Services representative, call at least two hours before the first strike, after that we cannot guarantee that the representative can answer your call. If it is within two (2) hours after the first strike, please contact the cashier and we will assist you.

Parking costs $ 20, which reduces the return on investment. But tickets are usually average by MLS standards. From 25 to 50 dollars you get a seat, and side seats, which cost from 40 dollars, are the best prices.

How to get there?

Directions

From Philadelphia and points north to section A:

• Take exit 95 south until exit 8 Stewart Avenue/Route 291;
• Take the exit on the left onto Stewart Avenue;
• Turn right onto Route 291 west (2nd street);
• Turn left onto Norris Street;
• Continue straight to Lot A.

Follow directions from Talen Energy Stadiums towards lot B or lot C:

• Follow 95 south to exit 4 — Commodore Barry Bridge/322 East/291;
• Take the Chester Embankment.

From points of the East:

• Cross the Commodore Bridge at Pa. And immediately take the first exit to the right (13th Street, 9th Street)
• At the exit, stay left as it turns towards Flower Street;
• Follow Tsvetnaya Street and turn left onto 2nd Street for Lot A or go 2nd Street for Lots B and C.

From the points of the west:

• Take Route 322 east;
• Exit 95 north;
• Drive 3/4 miles;
• Take exit 4 — Commodore Barry Bridge/322 East/291;
• Take the exit for Chester Waterfront;
• Turn right down the ramp to section B or C.

From Rte. 476 (blue route):

• From Delaware and southern points;
• Take exit 95 north until exit 4 — Commodore Barry Bridge/322 east/291;
• Take the exit for Chester Waterfront;
• Turn right down the ramp to section B or C;
• Drive 0.07 miles on Highland Avenue and follow signs for section B or C.

Output:

• Turn right on 291 east (2nd street);
• Turn right — 322 west/95;
• Stay right on 322 west;
• Stay left at 95 South;
• Stay right at 95 north / 476 north.

LOT C Exit

Directions for those who leave the Union of matches from Lot C:

• Take the C lot to Highland Avenue;
• Turn left on 2nd Street (291);
• Head west. 2nd Street will turn into Price Street;
• Turn left at Post Road;
• Head west on the Postal Road in the direction of Marcus Hook;
• Turn right at 452;
• Head north on 452;
• 452 will merge into 95 N and 95 C.

Public transport

To reach the Talen Energy stadium, use the SEPTA Wilmington / Newark regional railway line leading to Chester Transport Center (6th & Welsh Street). There will be a free shuttle service to the Talen Energy Stadium (for the matches of the Philadelphia Union) and back, the service will start four hours before the game time.Transfers are not available for non-union events at Talen Energy Stadium.

Shuttles returning to Chester’s transportation center will be parked along Front Street, one block north of Talen Energy Stadium (in the same place where you will be taken to matches). Shuttles will work until everyone leaves Talen Energy Stadium. The last call will be announced when it turns out that all the fans have left.

*Free shuttle is available only for matches of the Philadelphia Union*

Union fans will be able to get to Talen Energy Stadium by ordering a Uber ride through their smartphone. Uber Lot will be Stadium Lot E, located on Rini, between Seaport Drive and W. Front Street. Drivers will start positioning immediately after the break.

Parking is quite expensive at $ 20, but quite a lot. There is also a shuttle to

The SEPTA Chester Transport Center for the regional train, but I do not think this is a popular option. Next to the stadium there is also a plot of Uber and Lyft.

Access to get out, after the game is much more difficult. There will be a lot of cars slowly trying to get back on Highway 322 West. Expect delays, since no one will remain in place after the game.

Where to eat?

Talen Energy Stadium offers an incredible variety of dishes. The hall has a large selection of dishes of almost any type. This is a district of Philadelphia, so cheesecakes are always common. I noticed at least four different types, priced at about $ 10. Chicken cheese steak is a personal favorite.

Chickie’s and Pete’s also have several seats inside the stadium. The main product here is their crab potatoes. You should try them at least once. They also offer a pretty good chicken cutlet sandwich, available as a regular or buffalo-style, for $ 9.75.

There are several other unique options around the hall. “The Striker” is a pork roll sandwich (favorite of the south of New Jersey) and cheese, and on the other stand was a brie sandwich and grilled apples. The barbecue stand includes dried pork dishes ($ 10) and bacon ($ 10). You will not starve here, although the prices are quite high.

Another cool option is soft filly U-shaped pretzels for Union. This is a good value of $ 4.50. Ice cream in Turkey Hill can be found on several stands.

Beer can be bought for 7.50 dollars and above. Local options, such as Victory and Dogfish Head, are more expensive, but certainly tastier than the standard beer options.

Atmosphere

The back door scene in the parking lot is pretty strong. It looked like a parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field or some other football stadium. There were a lot more people than I expected. Different groups of supporters had strong performance.

Once inside the stadium you will find a U-shaped set of three stands, with additional smaller stands on the river bank. This is called “The End of the River” and it is there that groups of supporters of the team sit during the game. This area can become quite noisy and lively.

It seems that the European stadium is that the team name is spelled out in the eastern stands.

The main complaint is that in the northern part there is only one scoreboard, which is difficult to see for many fans.

Neighborhood

The neighborhood is terrible. Chester is a disadvantaged community that does not show much life. The area around the stadium is safe on game days, but you don’t want to risk too far. And, frankly, there is no reason to do this, since there are no local establishments worth visiting. Keep local parking and places where there are fans.

Harrah’s Casino is located right on Delaware Avenue from the stadium. If you are gambling, it is worth a visit. They offer games as well as OTB and race on live harness. The track was built over the top of the river, so it’s worth checking out.

There is a beautiful entrance area where children can play interactive games and take part in distribution from various suppliers.

There are additional plans calling for a walk along the river among other entertainment, shopping and residential projects in the area. None of them are currently close to discovery.

The fans

The most famous of the Union fans is the group of supporters Sons of Ben. They were founded in January 2007, long before the team actually existed. This group is a registered non-profit organization with more than 5,000 members, they also ran the Philadelphia Independence Betsy advocacy group.

There are other groups of supporters who crowd at the end of the river in the stadium. So check out the Holy Tammany, Illegal Inspections, Bridge Crews and Corner Creeps. When the rival New York Red Bulls is in the city, expect these groups to be very loud. All of them provide an excellent match atmosphere.

The rest of the fans are good too. The stadium is loud, knows and understands the sport very well.

Additionally

A dramatic view of the Commodore Barry Bridge highlights this stadium. It provides a cool atmosphere for watching matches.

Surprised by the bridge, you can also admire the recreation area on the river. This lively set of groups stands and greets the entire match. If you can handle the constant drumming and singing, then everything is fine.

The back door is pretty good at the stadium. I did not expect to see such a level of support for American football.

You should also wander around the room and look at the various football souvenirs presented. The team is really trying to be a member of the local football community. While in this area, you should also look into Union’s well-stocked fan shop to see a variety of ways to support the team by wearing their products.

Construction

Major League Football (MLS) was interested in entering the Philadelphia market for several years with many promises from team commissioner Don Garber, as evidenced by his statement: “It’s not about if and when Philadelphia gets the team.” Major League Soccer was initially interested in a site in the Bristol area, about 23 miles (37 km) north of downtown Philadelphia. These plans never came true. Rowan University later provided detailed information on the football stadium near the campus in Glassboro, New Jersey. However, funding from the state of New Jersey failed.

A group of investors led by Rob Buccini, co-founder of the Buccini / Pollin Group; Jay Sugarman, Executive Director, iStar Financial; and James Nevels, former chairman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, initiated the planning of a football stadium in Chester after funding for the Rowan project did not pass the New Jersey legislature. After many months of negotiations, Delaware County policies have announced their approval for stadium funding. Delaware County owns the land and the stadium itself, while the team owns naming rights based on lease approval for 30 years. The newly formed Delaware County Sports Authority pays a district of $ 30 million in taxes from Harrah’s Chester racetrack and a casino. An additional $ 80 million was contributed by private investors.

Governor Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi of Pennsylvania presented a combined football stadium and a package of measures to revitalize the economy of the city of Chester. $ 25 million was allocated for the construction of the stadium, and an additional $ 7 million for a two-phase project consisting of 186 townhouses, 25 apartments, 335,000 square feet (31,100 m2) of office space, 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2). ) a conference center, over 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of retail space and parking design to accommodate 1,350 cars. In the second phase, another 200 apartments will be built, as well as 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of office space and 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) of retail space.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with the city of Chester to ensure that construction work did not affect the nearby parking, which was the site of the Wade Dump, a previously contaminated Superfund site.

Football

Delays in construction led to the decision of the Philadelphia Union to play their first home game at Lincoln Financial Field instead of Talen Energy Stadium. Their first match at the stadium was played on June 27, 2010, when they beat Seattle Saunders FC 3–1. Sebastian Le Tu scored the first goal in the stadium on a penalty spot. However, Pat Noonan from Saunders scored the first goal in history.

The stadium’s record attendance was achieved for the MLS All-Star Game, when the MLS Stars defeated Chelsea 3–2 in front of 19,236 fans.

Due to the constantly high attendance and ticket sales, the Philadelphia Union expressed interest in expanding the capacity of the stadium. The planned expansion will take place in three stages: first up to 20,000, then up to 27,000, and finally up to about 30,000.

Specifications

When the original architectural drawings were discovered, the stadium was to become an oval-shaped stadium with a cantilever roof covering all seating areas – unlike most European football fields. After consulting with the emerging club players, the Union possession team, Keystone Sports & Entertainment, redesigned a special entrance for a group of supporters Ben Sons in recognition of their loyalty. This entrance leads to a section of 2,000 seats at the southeastern end of the stadium, reserved specifically for the group known as River End.

Additional features include thirty luxury suites, a full-service restaurant and a club above Chester End, a built-in concert venue at River End (which is not yet in use) and cantilever roofs over the main and bridge racks. Even with these features turned on, approximately sixty percent of the viewers will be able to see the Commodore Barry Bridge and the Delaware River from their seats. The exterior facade consists of brick and natural stone, which is a continuation of the traditional architecture of Philadelphia.