Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
nickname =


location = Rowe Blvd & Taylor Ave
Annapolis, MD 21401
broke_ground = 1958
opened = 1959
closed =
demolished =
owner = U.S. Naval Academy
operator = U.S. Naval Academy
surface = FieldTurf - 2005
construction_cost = $3 million USD
architect = 360 Architecture (formerly CDFM2) 2004 renovations
tenants = Navy Midshipmen (NCAA) (1959-Present);
Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL2) (2007)
seating_capacity = 34,000

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Opened in 1959 and primarily used for football, it is the home field of the Navy Midshipmen.

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium opened on September 26, 1959, when Navy defeated William & Mary 29-2. The stadium's current seating capacity is 34,000 [ [http://navysports.cstv.com/facilities/memorial-stadium.html navysports.cstv.com] ] ; the attendance record for the stadium is 37,615, which occurred in a win against Air Force in 2007.Prior to 1959, Navy played its home games at Thompson Stadium, which seated only 12,000.

The Naval Academy also uses the facility for its lacrosse matches. The stadium hosted several soccer matches of the 1984 Summer Olympics.Fact|date=August 2008

Memorial

The stadium serves as a memorial to the Navy and Marine Corps; it is dedicated to those who have served (and will serve) as upholders of the traditions and renown of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States. The thousands of memorial benchback and wall plaques are a constant reminder, as well as the list of numerous battles involving the Naval and Marine Corps forces since the early 1900s.

Renovation

In 2004 the stadium underwent a major renovation by 360 Architecture. Among the improvements were an expanded press box, 140 club seats and associated club lounge, private suites, new stadium seating (northwest end zone), ADA enhancements, updated restrooms, concessions and stadium operation facilities, new banquet facilities, and renovated locker room facilities.

Playing Surface

For its first 46 years, the stadium's playing field was natural grass. Prior to the 2005 football season, the grass field was replaced with FieldTurf, a next-generation infilled synthetic turf. The field runs northwest to southeast. [ [http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=11&Z=18&X=923&Y=10789&W=3&qs=%7cAnnapolis%7cMD%7c Microsoft TerraServer Imagery] ]

Army–Navy Game

The stadium has never hosted the Army-Navy Game; the last game played in Annapolis was in 1942 at Thompson Stadium. The rivalry game is normally played at a neutral site between the campuses on the East Coast; in early December, most often in Philadelphia (with occasional stop-offs in Baltimore and East Rutherford, New Jersey).

References

External links

* [http://navysports.cstv.com/facilities/memorial-stadium.html Navy Sports.com] - official athletics site - Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
* [http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/maryland/annapolis_memorial.shtml World Stadiums.com] - photo - Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
* [http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/misc/index.htm Ballparks.com] - NCAA stadiums
* [http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=11&Z=18&X=923&Y=10789&W=3&qs=%7cAnnapolis%7cMD%7c Terraserver.microsoft.com] - aerial photo & USGS topo map - Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium