Gerald J. Ford Stadium

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Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J Ford Stadium.jpg
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Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in Texas
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Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in the United States
Location5801 Bush Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205
Coordinates 32°50′11.92″N96°47′2.38″W / 32.8366444°N 96.7839944°W / 32.8366444; -96.7839944
Owner Southern Methodist University
Operator Southern Methodist University
Capacity 32,000 [1]
Surface
Construction
Broke ground September 10, 1999 [3]
OpenedSeptember 2, 2000
Construction cost $42 million [3]
($76.7 million in 2024 dollars [4] )
Architect Ellerbe Becket
General contractor Huber, Hunt & Nichols
Tenants
SMU Mustangs (NCAA) (2000–present)
Armed Forces Bowl (NCAA) (2010–2011)
First Responder Bowl (NCAA) (2019–present)

Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in Dallas, Texas. [1] The stadium is owned by Southern Methodist University (SMU) and is used primarily for games played by the SMU Mustangs football team.

Contents

About Gerald J. Ford Stadium

The stadium is named after Gerald J. Ford, a billionaire banker who provided most of the funding for its construction. [5]

Outside the northeast corner of the stadium is Doak Walker Plaza, honoring the former Heisman Trophy winner and SMU's greatest football star. The plaza includes a life-sized replica of the Doak Walker Award trophy, awarded annually to the nation's top college football running back. The northwest corner is connected to the Loyd All-Sports Center, which contains locker, training, and office space for SMU Athletics. [6]

History

The building stands on the site of the former Ownby Stadium, the school's previous on-campus football stadium that had been used since 1926. Ownby was demolished starting in late October 1998 in order to clear the land designated for the new stadium. Ford Stadium opened on September 2, 2000, with a football game against the University of Kansas. [7]

On September 24, 2022, the regular season attendance record was set at Gerald J. Ford Stadium when 35,481 people watched the TCU Horned Frogs face off against the SMU Mustangs in the Battle for the Iron Skillet. The overall attendance record is set at 36,742 for the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl between SMU and the Army Black Knights. [8]

Expansion

The north-south oriented stadium was bowl-shaped, originally standing on three sides (west, east, and north). The stadium was theoretically expandable to 45,000 seats by enclosing the horseshoe on the south end. [7]

Renovations

In 2012, SMU Mustang Athletics announced the construction of additional luxury suites, as well as the upgrading of infrastructure to the Paul B. Loyd, Jr. All-Sports Center to allow access to designated outdoor seating areas in the stadium. Construction was completed prior to the start of the 2013 season. [9]

On July 26, 2016, SMU officials announced plans for an upcoming facilities project that will include a new indoor performance center for the Mustangs football team, as well as an outdoor natural grass football practice field. The additions are part of the initial phase of SMU's $150 million comprehensive facilities upgrade. [10]

On December 2, 2022, SMU broke ground on the Garry Weber Endzone Complex, a new, $100 million dollar state-of-the-art facility for the school's football team. The complex, named after Garry Weber, an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and former SMU football player, will include a new weight room, training facilities, meeting rooms, and offices for the football program. The complex was expected to be completed in time for the start of 2024 football season, [11] and the expansion was completed and dedicated on September 6, 2024. [12]

Attendance records

RankAttendanceDateGame Result
136,742December 30, 2010SMU 14, Army 16
235,569September 24, 2022SMU 34, TCU 42
335,481September 24, 2010SMU 24, 4 TCU 41
434,879September 28, 2024SMU 42, Florida State 16
534,852September 6, 202517 SMU 45, Baylor 48
634,820September 20, 2014SMU 6, 6 Texas A&M 58
734,790August 30, 2013SMU 23, Texas Tech 41
834,749September 5, 2009SMU 31, Stephen F. Austin 23
934,648November 2, 202420 SMU 48, 18 Pittsburgh 25
1034,438November 16, 202414 SMU 38, Boston College 28
1133,458September 11, 2004SMU 13, Texas Tech 27
1233,178November 30, 20249 SMU 38, California 6
1333,168September 21, 2024SMU 66, TCU 42
1432,267September 2, 2000SMU 31, Kansas 17
1532,074September 4, 2015SMU 21, 4 Baylor 56
1632,016September 15, 2012SMU 3, Texas A&M 48
1732,000October 22, 2016SMU 38, 11 Houston 16
1832,000September 7, 2002SMU 14, Texas Tech 24
1931,172September 6, 2024SMU 15, BYU 18
2030,987September 23, 2016SMU 3, TCU 33

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Facilities". SMU Athletics.
  2. ↑ "Gerald J. Ford Stadium Turf Project". paragon-sports.com.
  3. 1 2 "Gerald J. Ford Stadium". football.ballparks.com.
  4. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Gerald J. Ford - Profile". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Loyd All-Sports Center". SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Gerald J. Ford Stadium". SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ "College football establishes new attendance records for the bowl and regular seasons". MilitaryBowl.org. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Gerald J. Ford Stadium Premium Seating and Mini-Suites". SMU.edu. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  10. ↑ "SMU Athletics reveals future facilities projects". SMU.edu. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Expanding SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium". SMU.edu. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Garry Weber End Zone Complex". www.smu.edu. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
2002		Succeeded by
Preceded by Host of the Women's College Cup
2001		Succeeded by
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