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Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Lawrence, Kansas, on the campus of the University of Kansas. The stadium is dedicated as a memorial to the KU students who died in World War I. The primary use of the stadium is to host the University's football and track and field intercollegiate athletics teams. It is the oldest college football stadium still in use west of the Mississippi River.
Construction and Renovation
Memorial Stadium was built in 1920 funded by students, faculty, and fans. Originally the stadium had only east and west bleachers, which were expanded southward in 1925. The north bowl seating section was added in 1927 to give the stadium its horseshoe shape which it retains today. The west bleachers were expanded significantly upwards in 1963, with similar additions to the east side in 1965. A major repair-driven renovation in 1978 repaired concrete and upgraded home and visiting team facilities.
Permanent lights were installed in 1997 and the current infrastructure is the result of a 1998 renovation. The press box and scholarship suites saw significant improvement and expansion in 1999, and the MegaVision (see also Jumbotron) video board was installed in the same year.
The track which rings the stadium has been resurfaced several times, most recently in 1999.
The field has been artificial turf since 1970. The current AstroPlay (see also AstroTurf) surface has been in place since 2000.
A new scoreboard with two video strips was mounted at the top of the stadium's north bowl for the 2005 season, correcting a quirk of the stadium that north-driving teams had no way to see the clock without turning around. In 2006, the playing field was named Kivisto Field in honor of a prominent donor.
Memorial Stadium is frequently used for community and athletic events. It is the part-time home field of the two high schools in Lawrence, a job it shares with Haskell Stadium at Haskell Indian Nations University.
Capacity
The stadium's current official capacity is 50,071, although the horseshoe shape allows tailgaters to view the game from the Campanile hill to the south. A then-record crowd of 51,574 saw the Jayhawks defeat Kansas State 25-18 in 1973.
At the Jayhawks' November 5, 2005 streak-snapping 40-15 victory over Nebraska, it was announced that that attendance record was broken, with a standing-room-only crowd of 51,750.
The Kansas Relays
Memorial Stadium has also hosted the Kansas Relays track and field event every year since 1923, except in 1943, 1944 and 1945 due to World War II and 1998 and 1999 due to construction. The Relays annually see top area high school and intercollegiate competitors, and the open events often draw Olympic runners such as Maurice Greene and Marion Jones.
External links
sports venues in Kansas | College football venues | Kansas Jayhawks football
"Memorial Stadium, Lawrence"