- Ownby Stadium
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Ownby Stadium Location 5800 Ownby Dr
Dallas, TX 75205Opened 1926 Closed 1998 Demolished October, 1998 Owner Southern Methodist University Operator Southern Methodist University Surface Natural Grass Capacity 23,783 Tenants SMU Mustangs (NCAA) (1926-1948, 1989-1994) Ownby Stadium was a stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It was the home of the Southern Methodist University Mustang football team.
Named for Jordon Ownby, the stadium was built at the south end of the campus. There was controversy at the time of the stadium's inception, as the school had spent the gift from Ownby on a stadium (per his wishes) rather than a full-sized library, which the school did not have at the time.[1]
As the Mustangs rose to prominence in the 1930s, they began scheduling an increasing number of games at the much larger Cotton Bowl, and finally moved there on a permanent basis in 1948,[2] while later moving to Texas Stadium. However, after massive rules violations resulted in the NCAA handing down the "death penalty" in 1987, SMU officials decided to move football games back to a heavily renovated Ownby Stadium.
In most of the 1970s, the chief tenant at Ownby was the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League.
The 23,783 seat stadium consisted of four grandstands, one on each side, with the west (home) size being larger than the rest. In late 1998, the stadium was demolished to make way for Gerald J. Ford Stadium, which stands on the same site.
References
Coordinates: 32°50′22″N 96°46′56″W / 32.83944°N 96.78222°W
Categories:- Defunct college football venues
- Sports venues in Dallas, Texas
- American football venues in Texas
- SMU Mustangs football venues
- Buildings and structures demolished in 1998
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