Dick Bivins Stadium

Dick Bivins Stadium is a stadium in Amarillo, Texas, USA, located at 800 S Marrs Street on the city's northeast side. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Amarillo Independent School District (AISD). During the season, many Texas Panhandle area high school football teams play regular and post-season games here. These schools include the four AISD-affiliated high schools: Amarillo High, Caprock High, Tascosa High, and Palo Duro High.

Facilities

The stadium opened in 1950 and has a 15,000-seat capacity in terraced-seating aluminum bleachers in 41 rows on both the east and west grandstands looking down on a playing field that is below ground level. The west grand stand situated immediately below the press box is the designated home team side. It is one of the largest high school stadiums in Texas. On June 1, 1998, the Amarillo Independent School District installed first-generation FieldTurf as the stadium's playing surface replacing the original 48-year-old natural grass playing surface. This was the first FieldTurf installation in any American football venue in the world. For the fall of 2008, new sixth-generation FieldTurf was installed on the field.

In 2005, the stadium underwent a multi-million dollar renovation which included a new state-of-the-art multi-level press box pre-wired for wireless (WI-FI) broadband internet access, closed-circuit/satellite television, a sideline to press box wireless (WI-FI) intercom system, hi-fidelity "crowd ambient sound" wide-range audio microphones and a multi-angle, panoramic exterior-mounted high definition video camera array. Additional press box features included modern work spaces for print journalists, sound-proof radio broadcaster booths for home and visitor stations, television broadcasters, public address announcers, scouts, administration, home and visiting coaches and video operators via a covered outdoor deck. Further improvements included two VIP suites with private restrooms, food preparation catering facilities, two pantry kitchens, new home and visitor locker rooms with shower facilities, coach offices/locker rooms and a fully featured medical clinic. The south end zone features a new corporate-sponsored and cutting-edge electronic scoreboard featuring hi-fidelity multi-speaker surround sound audio and a high-definition large-format video display interfacing an in-house close-circuit television production studio capable of instant replay. Additional renovations included new public restrooms, new concession stands, new gated security parking for media and team vehicles, new handicap-accessible ramps, new elevator towers and additional handicap spectator seating making this stadium a public sports venue which is 100% compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The "new" Dick Bivins Stadium is generally regarded as among the flagship fleet of high school-level sports venues in the state of Texas, on par with some smaller sports venues of NCAA Division I private institutions.

Dick Bivins Stadium is commonly confused with Kimbrough Memorial Stadium which is home to Randall High, Canyon High and West Texas A&M University.

External links

• [1] Dick Bivins Stadium Construction site at Amarillo Independent School District -

Coordinates: 35°12′11″N 101°48′3″W / 35.20306°N 101.80083°W / 35.20306; -101.80083