Alfond Sports Stadium
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Alumni Field (1947–1997) |
|---|---|
| Location | Orono, Maine 04473 |
| Coordinates | 44°54′18″N 68°40′18″W / 44.90500°N 68.67167°W / 44.90500; -68.67167 |
| Owner | University of Maine |
| Operator | University of Maine |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1947 |
| Renovated | 1996–98 |
| Reopened | September 12, 1998 |
| Construction cost | $7.5 Million ($14 million in 2023 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | WBRC Architects |
| Tenants | |
| University of Maine Football (NCAA) (1946–present) | |
Harold Alfond Sports Stadium is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Orono, Maine.[2] The Stadium hosts Morse Field, and the Beckett Family Track and Field Complex. It is the home of the University of Maine Black Bears football team.
History
The stadium opened as Alumni Field in 1947 and underwent extensive renovations from 1996 to 1998. The wood and steel grandstands, built in the 1940s, were condemned and demolished in 1996, replaced with the current east grandstand, along with a temporary structure on the west side, adjacent to Alfond Sports Arena. The current west grandstand, lights, press and luxury levels, as well as concessions and restroom amenities were completed prior to the 1998 season.
The stadium was rededicated to Harold Alfond, a longtime Maine booster, at Maine's first home night game on September 12, 1998, a 52–28 win over New Hampshire in the Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket. The field is named for Phillip and Susan Morse, who donated the lights, original Astroturf and scoreboard. In the summer of 2008, new FieldTurf was installed to replace the old AstroTurf. In 2014, a 20-by-32-foot (6.1 m × 9.8 m) HD video-board replaced the matrix display installed in 1998, and a contemporary scoreboard was installed on the north end.
See also
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Morse Field at Harold Alfond Sports Stadium". goblackbears.com. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
External links
- Maine Black Bears football