Truist Stadium (North Carolina A&T)

History

Before the construction of Truist Stadium, North Carolina A&T Aggies played their home football games at Greensboro's War Memorial Stadium, which was also home to Greensboro's minor league baseball franchise. The university saw a great need for an on-campus stadium to accommodate the growing number of fans attending home football games. The stadium, designed by architect W. Edward Jenkins, a North Carolina A&T alumnus, was constructed at a cost of more than $2.5 million. The stadium opened in 1981 and the first game played there was on September 12, 1981, against rival Winston Salem State University, drawing an overflow crowd of more than 23,000 fans. To date, the largest single-game attendance at Truist Stadium was set in 2001, when 34,769 people attended a football game against the Rattlers of Florida A&M University.

Expansion and improvements

The original plans for the stadium called for a seating capacity of 20,000 people, but due to the increased cost of materials, the plan was scaled back to 17,500. For the first 14 years of operation, the stadium's permanent seating capacity stood at 17,500. However, in 1995 the stadium underwent a major expansion in which 5,000 additional seats were added in the south end zone area to complete the current horseshoe shape and raise the seating capacity to over 21,000. In 1999, a donation by the Ford Motor Company allowed for the construction of stadium lights for night games and an electronic marquee outside the stadium grounds.

In 2001, the university opened the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center behind the stadium's northeast end zone. Three years later, the Irwin Belk Track was finally completed. The facility is named after the former president of Belk Department Stores and a major financial contributor to the project. the Mondo Super X Performance track features eight 48-inch lanes and wide turns. During the 2004 off season, the scoreboard in the north end zone was removed and replaced with a digital scoreboard and replay screen from Daktronics. The new addition named "Agggievision" measured at approximately 66 ft high and 48 ft wide and was equipped with a 23 ft video screen and sound system. The most visible addition to Truist Stadium is the 10000 sqft Sky Box complete with a Chancellor's Suite, facilities for press and coaches, as well as leasable luxury suites. The project was designed by Jason H. Jones, AIA, with Clark Nexsen's Charlotte Office, and was completed in April in time for the 2012 Football season. For the 2015 season, Aggievision was upgraded with a larger HD replay screen and LED panels.

Non football events

• International Friendship & Freedom Games (2009, 2010)
• Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships (2008–Present)
• Murray Neely Invitational (2009-2010)
• NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships – East Regional (2006, 2009–Present)
• NCHSAA Track and Field Championships (2005–present)
• New Balance Outdoor Nationals (formerly the Nike Outdoor Nationals) (2005–Present)
• Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational (2004–2005)
• State Games of North Carolina (2007)
• USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships (2006–Present)

Photo gallery

File:Aggie Stadium (NCAT) Pressbox 2012-1.jpg|West End Entrance and Press Box Exterior. File:Aggie Stadium Pressbox 02.jpg|West End Interior and Press Box. File:Aggie Stadium Visitor Interior.jpg|East Side Interior and Track. File:Aggievision Scoreboard 2012.jpg|The "Aggievision" Scoreboard in the North endzone of Truist Stadium in 2012. File:Aggievision Scoreboard 2015.jpg|Newly Updated Aggievision Scoreboard with HD Screen in 2015. File:Joseph & Kathleen Bryan Center.jpg|The Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center.

References

References

1. "Archived copy".
2. (April 18, 2012). "After eight long months, the wait is over". NC A&T State University Register.
3. (February 15, 1980). "Construction on Stadium Underway After Delays". A&T Register.
4. "Aggie Stadium and Irwin Belk Track at NC A&T State University".
5. [http://www.bluedeathvalley.com/aggie_stadium.html Blue Death Valley: The History of Aggie Stadium]
6. [https://sites.google.com/site/collegeovalscom/mid-eastern/aggie-stadium Collegeovals.com]
7. "Daktronics Helps Improve Fan Experience at 19 Colleges This Fall".
8. [http://nc.milesplit.us/venues/4867 Aggie Stadium MileSplit.us profile] {{webarchive. link. (June 27, 2007)