Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in University Park, Texas, with a Dallas mailing address.[1] The stadium is used primarily for football, and it is frequently used for local games played by the SMU Mustangs.

"Ford Stadium" redirects here. For the NFL stadium in Detroit, see Ford Field.
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in Texas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location in the United States
Location5800 Ownby Drive
University Park (Dallas), TX 75205
Coordinates32°50′11.92″N 96°47′2.38″W
OwnerSouthern Methodist University
OperatorSouthern Methodist University
Capacity32,000[1]
SurfaceFieldTurf
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 10, 1999[2]
OpenedSeptember 2, 2000
Construction cost$42 million[2]
($66.1 million in 2021 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)

About Ford Stadium

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, as well as the Spirit Shop, the office of the Alumni Association, and the Athlete Education Center.[5]

History

The building stands on the site of the former Ownby Stadium, the school's previous on-campus football stadium. 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, 2010, 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. TCU won the game and the Iron Skillet 41–24. The overall attendance record is set at 36,742 for the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl between SMU and the Army Black Knights.[7]

Future expansion

The north-south oriented stadium is bowl-shaped, with stands on three sides (west, east, and north). The stadium is expandable to 45,000 seats by enclosing the horseshoe on the south end.[6]

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.[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]

Attendance records
Rank Attendance Date Game Result
136,742December 30, 2010SMU 14, Army 16
235,481September 24, 2010SMU 24, 4 TCU 41
334,820September 20, 2014SMU 6, 6 Texas A&M 58
434,790August 30, 2013SMU 23, Texas Tech 41
534,749September 5, 2009SMU 31, Stephen F. Austin 23
633,458September 11, 2004SMU 13, Texas Tech 27
732,267September 2, 2000SMU 31, Kansas 17
832,074September 4, 2015SMU 21, 4 Baylor 56
932,016September 15, 2012SMU 3, Texas A&M 48
1032,000October 22, 2016SMU 38, 11 Houston 16
1032,000September 7, 2002SMU 14, Texas Tech 24
1230,987September 23, 2016SMU 3, TCU 33
1330,923September 20, 2008SMU 7, TCU 48
1429,538September 3, 2005SMU 23, Baylor 28
1529,528November 9, 201923 SMU 59, East Carolina 51
1629,121September 11, 2021SMU 35, North Texas 12
1728,436September 29, 2012SMU 16, 15 TCU 24
1828,142October 5, 201924 SMU 43, Tulsa 373OT
1927,106September 20, 2003SMU 6, Oklahoma State 56
2026,969September 3, 2007SMU 9, Texas Tech 49
  • Home Side, 2016
  • Wide Shot, 2016

See also

References
  1. "Facilities". SMU Athletics.
  2. "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 April 16, 2022.
  4. "Gerald J. Ford - Profile". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  5. "Loyd All-Sports Center". SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  6. "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.
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