Owner U.S. Air Force Expanded Opened 22 September 1962 Architect Emil Praeger | Operator U.S. Air Force Academy Capacity 46,692 Phone +1 719-472-1151 | |
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Location 2169 Field House Drive
U.S. Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, CO, U.S. Record attendance 56,409
(vs. Notre Dame, 2002) Surface FieldTurf (2006–present)
Natural grass (1962–2005) Address 2169 Field House Drive, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO 80840, USA | ||
Falcon Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in the western United States, located on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is the home field of the Air Force Falcons of the Mountain West Conference, and also holds the academy's graduation ceremonies each spring.
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History
From 1956 to 1961, Air Force played its home games at various sites along the Front Range in Colorado. Most games were played in Denver at the University of Denver's stadium, but several were played in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and CU's Folsom Field in Boulder.
Planned in 1955, Falcon Stadium opened 55 years ago in 1962, at a cost of $3.5 million, and has a current seating capacity of 46,692. The first game was on September 22, a 34–0 victory over Colorado State. It was officially dedicated four weeks later on October 20, with a ceremony which included the Thunderbirds.
Construction
The U.S. Air Force Academy lies at the base of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains, northwest of adjacent Colorado Springs. Built into a natural bowl about two miles (3 km) southeast and 500 feet (150 m) below the cadet area, Falcon Stadium is approximately a mile (1.6 km) west of Interstate 25.
With an unbalanced design and a traditional north-south alignment, the western sideline has the press box and two large grandstand tiers above the main bowl; the eastern side has a single tier, bordered by seven separate sections of grandstands.
Elevation
The FieldTurf playing field is at an elevation of 6,621 feet (2,018 m) above sea level, the second highest in FBS college football, exceeded only by conference foe Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, which is 600 feet (180 m) higher.
The Walkup Skydome at FCS Northern Arizona in Flagstaff is also slightly higher, by 250 feet (75 m). In Division II, the Mountaineer Bowl of Western State Colorado in Gunnison exceeds them all at 7,769 feet (2,368 m).
Improvements
Falcon Stadium had a natural grass field for its first 44 years, although the sideline areas where teams stood were artificial turf since the 1980s. Prior to the 2006 season, synthetic FieldTurf was installed at a cost of $750,000. Natural grass now makes up the perimeter of the FieldTurf surface.
The stadium has been expanded twice, and the 2005 renovation lowered the total seating capacity. Permanent lighting was installed in Falcon Stadium in 2002 at a cost of $500,000, and the video screen at the south end of the field debuted in 2004. A new sound system was also installed for the 2006 season. The scoreboard was removed after the 2015 season, and a new, larger video board took its place prior to the 2016 season. This new board measures 31' 2" tall by 82' 8" wide, with a total surface area of more than 2500 sq. ft. When it was installed it was the largest in the Mountain West Conference and amongst the service academies. A second video board was also installed behind the northeast stands prior to the 2016 season.