Sam Boyd Stadium

"Silver Bowl" redirects here. For the horse race in Britain, see Silver Bowl (horse race).
Sam Boyd Stadium

July 2014
Former names Las Vegas Stadium (1971–1978)
Las Vegas Silver Bowl (1978–1984)
Sam Boyd Silver Bowl (1984–1993)
Address 7000 East Russell Road
Location Whitney, Nevada, U.S.
Coordinates 36°05′10″N 115°01′01″W / 36.086°N 115.017°W / 36.086; -115.017Coordinates: 36°05′10″N 115°01′01″W / 36.086°N 115.017°W / 36.086; -115.017
Owner University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Operator University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Capacity 35,500[1]
(expandable to 40,000)
Surface AstroTurf (1971–1998)
Natural grass (1999–2002)
DURAPlay (2003–present)
Natural grass (only for Rugby 7s Tournament) (2010–2015)
Construction
Broke ground 1970
Opened October 23, 1971[2][3]
Renovated 1999, 2015
Expanded 1978, 1999
Construction cost $3.5 million
(most recent renovation: $1.2 million)
Architect Ellerbe Becket (renovations)
Tenants
UNLV Rebels (NCAA) (1971–present)
Las Vegas Quicksilvers (NASL) (1977)
Las Vegas Seagulls (ASL) (1979)
Las Vegas Bowl (NCAA) (1992–present)
Las Vegas Posse (CFL) (1994)
Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL) (2001)
Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL)[4] (2009–2012)

Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium in Whitney, Nevada, United States, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas Valley. It honors Sam Boyd (1910–1993), a major figure in the hotel and casino industry in Las Vegas.[5] The stadium consists of an uncovered horseshoe-shaped single-decked bowl, with temporary seating occasionally erected in the open north end zone. The field has a conventional north-south orientation and is at an elevation of 1,600 feet (490 m) above sea level.

The stadium is the home of the UNLV Rebels football team from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the annual Las Vegas Bowl in December. It is also used for high school football championship games and at times regular-season high school games for Bishop Gorman High School. The final race of the Monster Energy Supercross series is located here every year. Since 2010, it has hosted the USA Sevens leg of the annual World Rugby Sevens Series in the sevens version of rugby union.[6] Several teams have called the stadium home over the years, including the Las Vegas Quicksilvers of the North American Soccer League, the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League, the Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL, and the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League.

History

The stadium was completed 45 years ago on October 23, 1971, at a cost of $3.5 million. Originally known as Las Vegas Stadium, the name was changed to Las Vegas Silver Bowl in 1978, Sam Boyd Silver Bowl in 1984 and Sam Boyd Stadium in April 1993. The seating capacity was 15,000 from 1971 until 1977, raised to 32,000 in 1978 and to 36,800 in 1999.[7] Except from 1999 to 2002, the stadium has had an artificial turf surface.[8] A $1.2 million renovation during the summer of 2015 replaced field turf that hadn’t been changed out in more than a decade and was severely worn from usage. Additionally, two rows totaling 860 seats were removed from the east and west sidelines to widen the field and drop Sam Boyd’s capacity to 35,500.[1]

If the Oakland Raiders move to Las Vegas a new stadium tentatively called Las Vegas Raiders Stadium would be built. The UNLV Rebels would join the Raiders at the new stadium leading to the eventual demolition of Sam Boyd Stadium.[9]

College football

Interior view, 2006

Since 1992, the stadium has been the site of the annual Las Vegas Bowl.[10] In recent years, the game has been very well attended. In 2005, Brigham Young University made its first postseason appearance since 2001 and excited BYU fans over-filled the stadium; the announced attendance was a record 40,053. The following season, BYU returned to the Las Vegas Bowl as a nationally-ranked team. Additional seating was arranged at Sam Boyd Stadium for the 2006 game; the resulting attendance of 44,615 was the largest crowd to watch a team sports event in the history of the state of Nevada. In 2007, BYU made its third straight appearance and attendance was 40,712. BYU made its fourth straight appearance 2008, ranked #16 in the nation and faced off against the Arizona Wildcats who made their first bowl appearance since 1998. Arizona won the contest, 31–21; 40,047 attended the game which featured David Hasselhoff singing the national anthem.[11][12]

Sam Boyd Stadium was also the site of all three Western Athletic Conference title football games (1996–1998).[13]

Soccer

Following the 1976 season of the North American Soccer League, the San Diego Jaws decided to relocate and become the Las Vegas Quicksilvers. Despite a roster featuring international superstar Eusébio, the Quicksilvers could only manage an 11–15 record and a 5th-place finish in their division. They averaged an attendance of 7,092 per game. When the 1977 season ended, the franchise opted to move back to San Diego after only one year and became the San Diego Sockers. They were followed by the Las Vegas Seagulls, who played in the American Soccer League. They compiled a record of 7–18–3 in their only season in 1979.[14]

In 1999, the stadium hosted the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament. Real Madrid (Spain) defeated Santos Laguna (Mexico) 2–1 in a friendly match played on a temporary grass pitch in Sam Boyd Stadium in 2012. The paid attendance was 29,152,[15] which made it the highest attended soccer match in Nevada history.

USA Sevens rugby

Main article: USA Sevens

The stadium has hosted the USA Sevens rugby tournament every February since 2010. The USA Sevens is the largest rugby tournament in North America, drawing over 64,000 fans in 2012. The tournament brings together 16 national teams from all six continents in rugby sevens as part of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The USA Sevens debuted in 2004 in Los Angeles and moved to San Diego in 2007.[6] A temporary grass pitch was installed for the event each year through 2015.[16] The March 2016 event was played on the artificial surface.

Other sports events

The stadium hosted the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League in 1994, the Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL in 2001 and the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League from 2009 to 2011. On November 27, 2009, the Locomotives played the Florida Tuskers in the 2009 UFL Championship Game at Boyd, which the Locos won 20-17 in overtime.[17]

Sam Boyd Stadium is set to house the Clark County High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, including a 22 feet by 12 feet wall wrap with vintage photos of the inductees that will be displayed in the Southwest concourse of the stadium.[18]

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis has physically toured the stadium and proposed it as a possible temporary home for the Raiders should the relocation be approved to Nevada. The team could play in it as early as 2017.[19][20]

Since 1990, the final round of the AMA Supercross Championship has been held at the venue, currently in early May.[21] Most of the track is located inside the stadium with extensions taken into the area behind the score board. This event also includes the Davey Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout which was first won by Kevin Windham in 1997.

Since 2000, the stadium has been home to the Monster Jam World Finals which will be going into its 18th year of competition on March 23–25, 2017.

Other events

During the 1990s, The Grateful Dead played 14 shows at the stadium.[22]

On October 29, 2005, the grounds of the venue were host to the daytime portion of the two-day Vegoose music festival. This festival is an annual event, but ended its run in 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 Brewer, Ray (July 24, 2015). "Upgrades to Sam Boyd Stadium Include New Turf, Widened Field". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sam Boyd Stadium". World of Stadiums. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Sam Boyd Stadium". UNLV Rebels. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Live chat with commissioner Michael Huyghue". United Football League. March 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Six gambling businesses named to Forbes' list of 400". Southeast Missourian. (Cape Girardeau). October 10, 1994. p. 8B. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "USA Sevens Signs Letter Of Intent to Bring Tournament to New Venue in 2010" (Press release). USA Sevens, LLC. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Print Version". Cstv.com. Retrieved March 15, 2007.
  8. ↑ "UAC Las Vegas construction project". UAC Nevada Construction Division. October 27, 2008.
  9. ↑ Brewer, Ray (October 18, 2016). "Sanchez envisions UNLV football in Power 5 conference, selling out new stadium". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Las Vegas Bowl". Las Vegas Bowl. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Sam Boyd Stadium". UNLV Rebels. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ Silver, Steve (December 20, 2008). "Arizona upsets BYU 31-21". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Sam Boyd Stadium". Football.ballparks.com. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  14. ↑ "1979 Las Vegas Seagulls". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ Bern, Taylor (August 6, 2012). "Analysis: Real Madrid and Santos Laguna put on good show at Sam Boyd". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  16. ↑ "IRB Sevens World Series heads for Las Vegas" (Press release). International Rugby Board. July 15, 2009. Archived from the original on February 16, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
  17. ↑ Keefer, Case (November 27, 2009). "Locomotives win inaugural UFL championship in overtime". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  18. ↑ Brewer, Ray (July 7, 2010). "High school football hall of fame to be housed at Sam Boyd Stadium". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  19. ↑ Graziano, Dan (May 27, 2016). "NFL - Oakland Raiders have made progress in move to Las Vegas, owners want facts about stadium". ESPN. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ Carplas, Steve (April 1, 2016). "Raiders owner Mark Davis tours UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ↑ "2015 AMA Supercross media guide" (PDF). Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Grateful Dead setlists and more". Deadbase.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
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