Club president Isidro Romero Carbo wanted Barcelona, at the time playing their home games at the
Estadio Modelo Alberto Spencer Herrera, to have their own stadium. The stadium was inaugurated on December 27, 1987. The first game was played against
Peñarol of Uruguay, which Barcelona SC lost 1-3. Barcelona invited many South American football celebrities, such as
Pelé, to the inauguration; Pelé compared the stadium to the famous
Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro: there is a golden plaque in the stadium celebrating this description. There are healthcare facilities, clothing-and-souvenir shops, and restaurants, in a total area of about 5,100 m2. The football field is 105 metres long and 70 metres wide. The training field near the stadium is called
Alternate Field Sigifredo Agapito Chuchuca in honor of one of the greatest midfielders in team history. The stadium hosted 5 matches of the
1993 Copa América, including the final. On January 2, 2008, president of Barcelona
Eduardo Maruri signed a 4-year contract with Ecuadorian bank
Banco Pichincha to have the stadium named after the bank. The contract was renewed but came to an end in 2015. ==References==