"We had front-row seats since the first season at Rice-Eccles and just kept our tickets when we moved here," said Holladay's Doug Burnett from his new front-row seats right near midfield. "This is tremendous. We are right on top of the action. We love to watch good soccer. My kids play, so it is fun to bring them out, make it a family affair and watch the sport."

The fact the stadium was ready after only 17 months was astounding. When team owner Dave Checketts first had his vision for a soccer-specific stadium in Utah, even he didn't think it could turn out as well as it did.

"Everyone involved in this deserves a big pat on the back," he said. "It has all come together beyond all our expectations. You never really know exactly how things are going to come out in the end, but I have to admit that I couldn't be any happier with the results.

"I think the architect is a genius," he added. "The way all the designs turned out are terrific. This is a stadium that everyone can be proud of. From the concessions, I think the concessions are great, you couldn't get any better food at any facility in the country, to the whole atmosphere, this has turned out to be a terrific night."

Rio Tinto Stadium is the seventh soccer-specific stadium to be opened in Major League Soccer. According to league president Mark Abbot, it is the new model that all soccer stadiums should follow.

"From the moment I walked in the doors, everything has been first class," he said. "The fans, the atmosphere, the field, it all has been just what we envision for all of our teams to have at some point. This is a great stadium and is a big asset to have in Major League Soccer."

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E-mail: mblack@desnews.com