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Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Coordinates: 32°50′11.92″N 96°47′2.38″W / 32.8366444°N 96.7839944°W / 32.8366444; -96.7839944
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is located in Texas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in Texas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is located in the United States
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in the United States
Location5801 Bush Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205
Coordinates32°50′11.92″N 96°47′2.38″W / 32.8366444°N 96.7839944°W / 32.8366444; -96.7839944
OwnerSouthern Methodist University
OperatorSouthern Methodist University
Capacity32,000[1]
SurfaceFieldTurf
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 10, 1999[2]
OpenedSeptember 2, 2000
Construction cost$42 million[2]
($74.3 million in 2023 dollars[3])
ArchitectEllerbe Becket
General contractorHuber, 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.

About Gerald J. Ford Stadium

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The stadium is named after Gerald J. Ford, a billionaire banker who provided most of the funding for its construction.[4]

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.[5]

History

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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.[6]

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.[7]

Expansion

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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.[6]

Renovations

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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.[8]

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. [9]

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,[10] and the expansion was in fact completed and dedicated on September 6, 2024.[11]

Attendance records

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Rank Attendance Date Game Result
1 36,742 December 30, 2010 SMU 14, Army 16
2 35,569 September 24, 2022 SMU 34, TCU 42
3 35,481 September 24, 2010 SMU 24, 4 TCU 41
4 34,879 September 28, 2024 SMU 42, Florida State 16
5 34,820 September 20, 2014 SMU 6, 6 Texas A&M 58
6 34,790 August 30, 2013 SMU 23, Texas Tech 41
7 34,749 September 5, 2009 SMU 31, Stephen F. Austin 23
8 34,648 November 2, 2024 20 SMU 48, 18 Pittsburgh 25
9 34,438 November 16, 2024 14 SMU 38, Boston College 28
10 33,458 September 11, 2004 SMU 13, Texas Tech 27
11 33,178 November 30, 2024 9 SMU 38, California 6
12 33,168 September 21, 2024 SMU 66, TCU 42
13 32,267 September 2, 2000 SMU 31, Kansas 17
14 32,074 September 4, 2015 SMU 21, 4 Baylor 56
15 32,016 September 15, 2012 SMU 3, Texas A&M 48
16 32,000 October 22, 2016 SMU 38, 11 Houston 16
17 32,000 September 7, 2002 SMU 14, Texas Tech 24
18 31,172 September 6, 2024 SMU 15, BYU 18
19 30,987 September 23, 2016 SMU 3, TCU 33
20 30,923 September 20, 2008 SMU 7, TCU 48
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facilities". SMU Athletics.
  2. ^ a b "Gerald J. Ford Stadium". football.ballparks.com.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Gerald J. Ford - Profile". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  5. ^ "Loyd All-Sports Center". SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Gerald J. Ford Stadium". SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  7. ^ "College football establishes new attendance records for the bowl and regular seasons". MilitaryBowl.org. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  8. ^ "Gerald J. Ford Stadium Premium Seating and Mini-Suites". SMU.edu. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  9. ^ "SMU Athletics reveals future facilities projects". SMU.edu. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  10. ^ "Expanding SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium". SMU.edu. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Garry Weber End Zone Complex". www.smu.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
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Preceded by Host of the College Cup
2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by Host of the Women's College Cup
2001
Succeeded by