SANDY — Almost overnight, Real Salt Lake has gone from having one of the most maligned home fields in Major League Soccer to having a place that is shaping up to be one the premier facilities in the league.
Fans and team executives aren't the only ones who are gushing over the brand-new Rio Tinto Stadium. The RSL players themselves couldn't be happier about their new digs.
Even those who have played in the better European soccer leagues feel the stadium they will now call home is something special.
"This would be one of the nicer stadiums in Scotland," forward Kenny Deuchar said.
Midfielder/defender Robbie Russell, who spent seven seasons in Norway and Denmark, said Rio Tinto Stadium compares favorably with stadiums that have a similar seating capacity in the top European leagues.
Many European soccer stadiums that hold from 15,000 to 20,000 people are much older and, in many cases, lack the technology and amenities that are a part of Rio Tinto Stadium.
For Russell, to open up a world-class venue with the rest of his RSL teammates is a major deal.
"Any time you're there to open up a stadium like this, it's a little bit of history and it's a great experience," Russell said.
One aspect elevating Rio Tinto Stadium in the minds of these soccer veterans is the proximity of the fans to the pitch. With how the stadium is designed, fans coming to a Real Salt Lake home game will get an unobstructed view of the action on the field. There isn't a "nosebleed" section in the way you would envision with a football stadium or basketball arena.
"You're close to the fans," Deuchar said. "If we get it full, it will be a nice atmosphere in here."
Trading in a college football stadium with hardened turf for a soccer-specific stadium with real grass is the kind of trade-off that everyone on the RSL roster has been anticipating for more than a year.
But it isn't all just about getting a nicer playing surface. For veterans and rookies alike, the new stadium is a symbol that they are indeed a part of Utah for the foreseeable future.
"One of the biggest things it does is give us permanence in the community," defender Nat Borchers said. "I don't see Real Salt Lake relocating any time soon."
What Rio Tinto Stadium also offers is a sense of security that RSL won't close up shop, either. It offers Real a sense of stability to have its own facility where it can host events, increase revenue and not be forced to lease another facility that may or may not be entirely suitable for its needs.
The transition from Rice-Eccles to Rio Tinto will not be difficult, according to Russell, simply because this new stadium belongs to RSL and its fans.
"It totally gives a team a sense of home," Russell said. "This is our home field. This is where we play."
E-mail: jcoon@desnews.com