page_title: FAU Stadium
section_title: Opening season
hierarchical_section_title: FAU Stadium / History / Opening season
caption_attribution_description: English: North endzone of FAU Stadium on Opening Day (October 15, 2011)
context_page_description: FAU Stadium is a college football stadium located at the north end of the main campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Opened in 2011, it is home to the Florida Atlantic Owls football team and is intended to be the first part of FAU's multi-use development project, "Innovation Village".
  After selecting an architect in 2008, the university began to raise funds for the $70 million facility with the intent to begin construction in 2009. The $70 million stadium was funded through student fees, private donations, and naming rights partnerships, some of which have yet to be determined. After fundraising efforts slowed, the school delayed construction until 2010. The stadium opened when the 2011 Florida Atlantic Owls football team lost to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on October 15, 2011.
  Starting in 2014, FAU Stadium became home to the Boca Raton Bowl, a college football bowl game which features teams from the Mid-American Conference and in alternating years Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.
  Also starting in 2014, FAU Stadium was home to the Major League Lacrosse's Florida Launch until 2018.
context_section_description: The venue opened for the Owls' first home game on October 15, 2011, when the team lost to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 20–0. The announced attendance for the game was 29,103, although attendance dropped to 16,344 for team's second home game against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. The Owls finished the season with a 1–11 record, its sole win coming against the UAB Blazers on November 26 in front of a home crowd of 12,044. The team's average home attendance for the year in its new stadium was 17,565, ranking it 103rd among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams.
caption: North end zone on opening day, October 15, 2011
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