Cessna Stadium

Cessna Stadium
Former names Veterans Field
Location E 21st Street N
Wichita, Kansas 67260
Owner Wichita State University
Operator Wichita State University
Capacity 31,500
Surface grass
Construction
Opened 1969 (Cessna Stadium),
1946 (Veterans Field)
Renovated 1996
Tenants
Wichita State Shockers (football and soccer)

Cessna Stadium is located in northeast Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is the home of the Wichita State University Shocker track and field team with a 30,000-seat capacity.

History

Originally constructed in 1969, and renovated in 1996, Cessna Stadium was built over the site of the Shockers' former home, Veterans Field.[1] It was one of the most modern and complete football facilities in the nation at the time of its completion.

Wichita State University rededicated the facility on April 16, 2002 to mark the end of the seven-month, $1.3 million construction that included adding an eighth lane and resurfacing the track, reconfiguring the infield event layout, and building separate locker rooms for the Shocker men's and women's track and field teams. The first event in the renovated facility was WSU's annual K.T. Woodman Track and Field Classic, which is scheduled every April.

Cessna Stadium is the venue of the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championship, the Shockers' annual K.T. Woodman Track Classic, as well as several Missouri Valley Conference Track and Field Championship meets. The stadium has also played host to numerous Kansas State High School Football Championship games; the Shrine Bowl, Kansas's high school all-star football game; a Pittsburg State-Mesa State Division II football game; and numerous High School City League football games.[2] Cessna is used by Kapaun Mount Carmel High School of the Greater Wichita Athletic League as its home field.

Football

Wichita State Shockers football suffered a setback after a plane crash on October 2, 1970 when one of two planes carrying players, staff and fans to a football game at Utah State University crashed near Silver Plume, Colorado. Many were injured, and 31 people lost their lives.[3] Wichita State would ultimately discontinue its football program in 1986.

Concerts

On October 1, 2006, as part of their A Bigger Bang Tour, The Rolling Stones performed their first-ever concert in Wichita, held at Cessna Stadium, which was set up to accommodate 35,000 to 40,000 fans.

Public Use

Cessna Stadium is open to the public for recreational use Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. It is closed during WSU track & field practices and special events.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Veterans Field History
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2006-07-27. Cessna Stadium facts from W.S.U. Athletics Website
  3. ↑ Wichita State University#Shockers
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Historical

Coordinates: 37°43′18.12″N 97°17′43.87″W / 37.7217000°N 97.2955194°W / 37.7217000; -97.2955194

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