Estadio Metropolitano de Fútbol de Lara

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Estadio Metropolitano de Fútbol de Lara

Full name	Estadio Metropolitano de Fútbol de Lara
Location	Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Built	2005-2007
Opened	2007
Owner
Construction cost	US$74.4 million
Tenants	Unión Lara
Capacity	40,312 (seating only) [1]

The Estadio Metropolitano de Fútbol de Lara is a soccer stadium located in the heart of the city of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, home ground of Lara FC. It was built by the Venezuelan company Jantesa, and it is one of the nine venues for the Copa America 2007. It has a capacity of 40,312[2], it has a field of 110 x 70 m, it has Aloha Seashore Paspalum grass, it has a parking lot for 4,000 vehicles, elevators, 4 locker rooms, an anti-doping room, a medical room, referee room and two gigantic televisions, 24 cabins for the press and a VIP area.

The Metropolitano De Lara has no athletics track, so the spectators are seated very close to the game action. Because of this construction, it is often compared with Old Trafford, the Manchester United Stadium in England

Lara F.C. opened Venezuela to many opportunities by playing in the Copa Libertadores in 1969. In 2005, the CONMEBOL chose the Copa America 2007 venues; in those selected Barquisimeto was not one of the venues selected. In 2006 the CONMEBOL decided to add Barquisimeto as a venue for the Copa America 2007 in honor of Lara FC.