Paulson Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Allen E. Paulson Stadium | |
|---|---|
| The Prettiest Little Stadium in America | |
 |
|
| Location | Lanier Dr. Statesboro, GA 30458 |
| Broke ground | 1983 |
| Opened | September 29, 1984 |
| Renovated | 2007 |
| Owner | Georgia Southern University |
| Operator | Georgia Southern University |
| Surface | Prescription Athletic Turf |
| Construction cost | $4.7 million USD |
| Architect | Heery-Fabrap, Inc |
| Tenants | Georgia Southern University Eagles (NCAA) (1984-Present) |
| Capacity | 15,000 |
Allen E. Paulson Stadium is an 15,000-seat on campus football stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. It is home to the Georgia Southern Eagles football team and the focal point of Erk Russell Athletic Park.
Paulson Stadium was dedicated on Sept. 29, 1984 with a 48-11 rout of Liberty Baptist University. The game was a fitting end to four years of planning one of the finest I-AA facilities in America [1]. The phrase "Prettiest Little Stadium in America" was coined by former Coach Erk Russell.[2] The stadium has also come to be known at "Our House" to reflect the extreme home field advantage. [3]
Contents |
[edit] History
The stadium is named for the late Allen E. Paulson, founder and owner of Gulfstream Aerospace, who donated more than $1 million toward construction of the facility. The late State Senator Glenn Bryant of Hinesville donated over a quarter-million dollars for the property. To recognize his gift, the playing surface of the stadium is named "Glenn Bryant Field".
The first game in Paulson was originally scheduled for September 1, 1984, against the Florida A& M Rattlers, but construction delayed by wet weather forced this game to be played in Savannah. The first touchdown scored in "Our House" was a 36-yard run around the right side by quarterback Tracy Ham against Liberty Baptist University on September 29, 1984.
[edit] Features
The stadium features a Prescription Athletic Turf with special Bermuda on a clay, sand and gravel base over an elaborate drainage system. The playing field was designed to accommodate both soccer and football. Special climate-controlled VIP boxes with luxurious interiors, private restrooms and food service areas, plus a 50-seat pressbox and film deck overlook the playing surface on the south side of the stadium. The Gene Bishop Fieldhouse sits in the western open end of the natural bowl, in the former site of the Lupton Building. The field level of the Bishop Fieldhouse includes team and officials dressing rooms, while the second level houses a hospitality room and club-level seating. Prior to the start of the 2005 season, a brick façade was built along the walls of Paulson Stadium while the video scoreboard was also surrounded with a brick garden/façade.
Constructed at a cost of $4.7 million, the stadium was designed with two expansion phases in mind. The first would increase the capacity to approximately 35,000, while the final phase would expand seating to 50,000. However, because of the lack of effort on the part of school leadership, neither of these additions have been implemented. Permanent light fixtures were added prior to the 1994 season.
[edit] Special Events
Paulson Stadium hosted the 1989, 1990 and 1991 NCAA Division I National Football Championship Games. 25,725 fans, the largest crowd in Paulson Stadium history, saw Georgia Southern defeat Stephen F. Austin University in the 1989 NCAA Championship Game. Temporary bleachers were brought in and installed in the east endzone and on the northern concourse to handle the standing-room-only crowd.
The stadium has also hosted concerts for artist such as Brad Paisley and 3 Doors Down. [4]
[edit] References
- ^ Georgia Southern Football Media Guide, 2004. 9
- ^ Allen E. Paulson Stadium - Georgia Southern University Eagles Athletics
- ^ Georgia Southern Football Media Guide, 2004. 187
- ^ Brad Paisley to perform in Statesboro Friday (Archives)
[edit] External links
Georgia Southern Eagles Sports Facilities
|
|||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
