Icahn Stadium is a 5,000 seat track and field and multipurpose facility located on Randalls Island in Manhattan, New York City. Designed within the former site of Downing Stadium, it opened on April 23, 2005. Icahn Stadium is named after American businessman Carl Icahn, who made a $10 million donation towards the construction of the new stadium. The stadium features a World Athletics Class 1 certified running track with a 400-meter Mondo Super X Performance surface, and it has been the site of many international, national, and regional track and field events. Background Icahn Stadium was built to replace Downing Stadium, which 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 was subsequently home to the New York Cosmos soccer team, as well as various sporting events and summer concerts. The stadium lights, which had been taken from Ebbets Field after it was torn down, were left in place to light the new field. After years of use, the old facility was in need of renovation. In order to maximize the potential of the site, the old stadium was razed, and Icahn Stadium was constructed in its place along with Field 10, a FIFA-certified soccer field, on the north side. The track and field built is one of only five International Association of Athletics Federations Class 1-certified tracks in the United States (along with Hutsell-Rosen Track, Hayward Field, John McDonnell Field and Rock Chalk Park ). The 5,000 seat stadium is partially sheltered by a cantilevered roof, and is illuminated by a pair of lighting towers. In addition, the soccer field on the north of the stadium is outfitted with a scoreboard, fencing, lighting, and bleachers for spectator events. Run by the Randalls Island Park Alliance (RIPA), Icahn Stadium serves the residents of New York City and beyond. It houses some of RIPA’s various Randalls Island Kids (RIK) programs, including the Jesse Owens track club, RIK Dance programs, and components of RIK summer camp. RIPA was founded in 1992 as a public–private partnership to