Dix Stadium

Dix Stadium
Former names	Memorial Stadium (1969–71)[1]
Location	2227 Summit Road Kent, Ohio, United States
Coordinates	41°8′21″N 81°18′48″W / 41.13917°N 81.31333°W / 41.13917; -81.31333Coordinates: 41°8′21″N 81°18′48″W / 41.13917°N 81.31333°W / 41.13917; -81.31333
Broke ground	1968
Opened	September 13, 1969[1]
Renovated	2008
Owner	Kent State University
Operator	Kent State University
Surface	FieldTurf (2005–present) Astroturf (1997–2004) Natural grass (1969–96)
Scoreboard	72 ft (22 m) wide, 30 ft (9.1 m) tall[2]
Construction cost	$3.5 million[1] ($22.3 million in 2014 dollars[ 1])
Architect	Osborn-Papesh
General contractor	Melborne Brothers
Capacity	25,319 (2008-present) 29,287 (2003–2007) 30,520 (1969–2002)
Record attendance	27,363
Tenants
Kent State Golden Flashes football (NCAA) (1969-present) Kent State Golden Flashes field hockey (NCAA) (1997–2005)

Dix Stadium is a stadium in Kent, Ohio, United States. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Kent State Golden Flashes football team. It lies at the far eastern end of the KSU campus along Summit Street, just east of State Route 261 and is the center piece of what has become an athletic complex. From 1997-2005, the field hockey team also played its games at the stadium until a new field hockey stadium was constructed behind Dix Stadium. The KSU softball, women's soccer, field hockey, and indoor track teams all play their home matches in facilities around Dix Stadium. The stadium also hosts the occasional high school football game and served as the host of the 2001 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. It opened on September 13, 1969, with a win against in-state rival Dayton. It was named in honor of Robert C. Dix, former editor and publisher of the Record-Courier and a member of Kent State's Board of Trustees for more than three decades.^[1]

The 25,319-seat stadium consists of three separate grandstands on each side of the field except the south side. The west side is the largest, and the recently rebuilt east side (student seating) is the smallest. On either side of the east grandstands are spaces for party tents. Although the first night game was held in 1990, permanent lights were not added until 1996. Artificial turf was installed in 1997 and replaced in 2005 with the latest version of FieldTurf. Prior to the 2002 season, the east side stands, remnants of the original Memorial Stadium, were demolished. The current east side bleachers were constructed after the 2002 season and were completed in time for the 2003 season opener. The configuration slightly altered the stadium's seating capacity reducing it from 30,520 to 29,287 before the latest renovations reduced capacity to the current figure of 25,319.

Upgrades

The new high-definition scoreboard was part of the 2008 renovations

The exterior upgrades were part of the 2007 and 2008 renovations

In June 2007, the university began phase one of a two year project of renovations and upgrades to Dix Stadium. Phase one included repainting the north end zone bleachers as well as upgrades to the press box and a permanent canopy over the camera areas. Entryways to the west stands were upgraded with improved signage and cosmetic improvements were done around the main concourse. A new road to the neighboring field house was also constructed.

Phase two of the renovations began in February 2008 with the demolition of the sound end zone seats and scoreboard^[3] and removal of the perimeter fencing around the stadium. Improvements included replacing the fencing with a brick and wrought iron fence as well as the construction of new entrances and ticket booths at the west entry.^[4] In the south end zone, a new concession area and scoreboard were constructed. Phase one was mostly completed by the beginning of the 2007 home football season in September^[5][6] and phase two was completed in time for the Flashes' first home game on September 13, 2008, against the Delaware State University Hornets.

Trivia

The east stands were built in 2003 and serve as the main student section

• The current north end zone section of Dix Stadium dates to 1948 and was one of the sideline seats at KSU's old Memorial Stadium (the south end zone, demolished in 2008, was the other sideline), which stood on what is now the visitor parking lot in front of the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center and Student Center.^[1] When Dix Stadium was built in the late 1960s, the old stadium was dismantled and then reassembled at the current site in its current configuration.

• Dix Stadium has only officially been sold out for a Kent State game once, against rival Akron in 2010. The largest KSU football crowd ever at Dix Stadium was 27,363 on November 10, 1973, for a game versus Miami University.^[2] The stadium was sold out in August 1980 for a scrimmage between the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills and nearly sold out for a November 28, 1998, high school playoff game between Cleveland St. Ignatius and Canton McKinley.

References

External links

• Dix Stadium - Kent State Golden Flashes

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