FORT COLLINS — Ten-year-old Christian Mirenda and his 8-year-old brother, Grayson, were first in line Saturday behind a celebratory green ribbon outside the north gates at Colorado State’s new on-campus football stadium when athletic director Joe Parker was handed a giant pair of golden scissors.

Among the two boys from Littleton were 21,447 fans who flocked to 751 West Pitkin Street for CSU’s community open house and football scrimmage, a free event to unveil the complex in its final stages of construction before kickoff Aug. 26 against Oregon State. With one slice of ribbon from Parker, the crowd roared, the white metal gates opened, and a $220 million project more than five years in the making finally opened to the public.

And most everyone walked the concourse with that same wide-eyed expression as those young boys at the front.

“Either jaws were down or smiles were up,” Parker said. “That made me feel pretty good.”

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While the facility has been mostly operational for months, Saturday’s showcase provided a multipronged test run for several internal systems used during a real game day: security, ticket scanning, usher placement, concessions functionality, video displays and more. Like any first day, there was plenty to be learned, too.

With only some concessions stands operational, long lines created congestion in the concourse. Twitter user @SharonDSafety posted a photo of a bare hot dog in a paper tray with the caption: “How do you (run) out of buns?” Another user, @johnpaulsampson, pointed out a misspelling on the list of Fourteeners depicted in murals above the concourse — La Planta Peak instead of La Plata Peak.

“We’re developing a list that we’re going to improve on,” Parker said. “So three weeks from now when we actually have a game in the building, we’ll be even that much better.”

For Anthony and Tara Mirenda, 2001 CSU graduates and parents of those eager kids who first entered the stadium, the connection to Rams football runs deep. The Mirendas were among thousands whose financial donation to the project was honored with a personalized brick, that when combined with others, spells RAMS on the pavement outside the north gates.

“Tara and I met our first week of freshman year here, so we just wanted something that would last to represent our family,” Anthony Mirenda said. “This stadium is something that was a long time coming and the university has needed it for years. … It’s going to be fantastic. I think it will be transformative for athletics here.”

That energy was also felt by players and coaches through the course of a 100-plus play scrimmage, even through a lightning delay of more than an hour, as the Rams played on Sonny Lubick Field for the first time with CSU faithful in attendance.

College football season is on the horizon.

“We’re kind of hanging around the office, treating it like a regular game day and I kept walking to the windows in the facility and looking outside,” CSU coach Mike Bobo said. “To see our fans out there two or three hours before the game, it just kind of gave me chills.”