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  Gerald J. Ford Stadium Location in Texas  Gerald J. Ford Stadium Location in the United States | |
| Location | 5801 Bush Avenue Dallas, TX 75205 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°50′11.92″N 96°47′2.38″W / 32.8366444°N 96.7839944°W |
| Owner | Southern Methodist University |
| Operator | Southern Methodist University |
| Capacity | 32,000[1] |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 10, 1999[2] |
| Opened | September 2, 2000 |
| Construction cost | $42 million[2] ($74.3 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | Ellerbe Becket |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols |
| Tenants | |
| SMU Mustangs (NCAA) (2000–present) Armed Forces Bowl (NCAA) (2010–2011) First Responder Bowl (NCAA) (2019–present) | |
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in Dallas, Texas.[1] The stadium is owned by Southern Methodist University (SMU) and is used primarily for games played by the SMU Mustangs football team.
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.[5]
The building stands on the site of the former Ownby Stadium, the school's previous on-campus football stadium that had been used since 1926. 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, 2022, 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. The overall attendance record is set at 36,742 for the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl between SMU and the Army Black Knights.[7]
The north-south oriented stadium was bowl-shaped, originally standing on three sides (west, east, and north). The stadium was theoretically expandable to 45,000 seats by enclosing the horseshoe on the south end.[6]
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]
On December 2, 2022, SMU broke ground on the Garry Weber Endzone Complex, a new, $100 million dollar state-of-the-art facility for the school's football team. The complex, named after Garry Weber, an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and former SMU football player, will include a new weight room, training facilities, meeting rooms, and offices for the football program. The complex was expected to be completed in time for the start of 2024 football season,[10] and the expansion was in fact completed and dedicated on September 6, 2024.[11]
| Rank | Attendance | Date | Game Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36,742 | December 30, 2010 | SMU 14, Army 16 |
| 2 | 35,569 | September 24, 2022 | SMU 34, TCU 42 |
| 3 | 35,481 | September 24, 2010 | SMU 24, 4 TCU 41 |
| 4 | 34,879 | September 28, 2024 | SMU 42, Florida State 16 |
| 5 | 34,820 | September 20, 2014 | SMU 6, 6 Texas A&M 58 |
| 6 | 34,790 | August 30, 2013 | SMU 23, Texas Tech 41 |
| 7 | 34,749 | September 5, 2009 | SMU 31, Stephen F. Austin 23 |
| 8 | 34,648 | November 2, 2024 | 20 SMU 48, 18 Pittsburgh 25 |
| 9 | 33,458 | September 11, 2004 | SMU 13, Texas Tech 27 |
| 10 | 33,168 | September 21, 2024 | SMU 66, TCU 42 |
| 11 | 32,267 | September 2, 2000 | SMU 31, Kansas 17 |
| 12 | 32,074 | September 4, 2015 | SMU 21, 4 Baylor 56 |
| 13 | 32,016 | September 15, 2012 | SMU 3, Texas A&M 48 |
| 14 | 32,000 | October 22, 2016 | SMU 38, 11 Houston 16 |
| 15 | 32,000 | September 7, 2002 | SMU 14, Texas Tech 24 |
| 16 | 31,172 | September 6, 2024 | SMU 15, BYU 18 |
| 17 | 30,987 | September 23, 2016 | SMU 3, TCU 33 |
| 18 | 30,923 | September 20, 2008 | SMU 7, TCU 48 |
| 19 | 29,538 | September 3, 2005 | SMU 23, Baylor 28 |
| 20 | 29,528 | November 9, 2019 | 23 SMU 59, East Carolina 51 |
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