SECAUCUS, NJ-- In honor of the Grand Opening of Red Bull Arena, the Empire State Building will light up white and red on Friday, March 19. Red Bull Arena will set the standard for other soccer venues across the continent. The state-of-the-art soccer-specific facility, set to open on March 20 in Harrison, NJ, when the Red Bulls face Santos FC at 6:00 PM, will be the home of the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS).

Red Bulls defender Mike Petke, goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, and assistant coach Richie Williams will all take part in the lighting ceremony, which will illuminate the skyscraper in the colors of the Red Bulls' kit. All three have ties to the New York metro area. Petke grew up in Long Island, Coundoul attended Martin Luther King Jr. high school in New York City, and Williams is a Middletown, NJ native. The lighting ceremony will take place on March 19 at 1:30 PM. The ceremony is not open to the public.

The Empire State Building is located at 350 Fifth Avenue, between 33rd and 34th streets in Midtown Manhattan. The lighting of the building in white and red will take place from dusk on March 19 until approximately 2:00 AM on March 22.