Football | 9/10/2015 2:33:00 PM
Interview with ACU Director of Athletics Lee De LeónABILENE – ACU director of athletics Lee De León announced Thursday during a wide-ranging press conference that the university plans to play its first home football game in its new on-campus stadium in September 2017.
De León made the announcement in the Teague Special Events Center where he also announced ACU Athletics' five-year apparel deal with Nike as well announcing the completion of the its Strategic Plan.
ACU has been working with industry leader HKS Architects since April when the university and the architecture firm agreed to partner on the building of the university's new on-campus football stadium.
De León announced Thursday the plans to break ground and being construction of the new stadium in early 2016, meaning ACU expects to play the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Shotwell Stadium before moving to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium in its first season of NCAA Division I post-season eligibility. The first home game in the new on-campus stadium is currently planned for Sept. 16, 2017, in a Southland Conference game against Houston Baptist.
Demolition was completed on the stands and structure of the old Elmer Gray Stadium in early April, and on that site the new stadium will be built. The old track surface is still on the grounds and will be dug up when construction on the stadium begins.
De León also said the university is closing in on a final design for the stadium with HKS and those renderings will be released to the public shortly, pending approval by university officials. The university is also nearing the completion of the fundraising for this project and will begin a wider-scale, grass roots campaign later this month.
FOOTBALL STADIUM TIMELINE• February 2014 – Vision in Action campaign launched
• April 2015 – New Elmer Gray Stadium opened for first track meet
• April 2015 – Partnership with HKS announced for building of football stadium
• September 2015 – New Elmer Gray Stadium hosted first women's soccer match
• Early 2016 – Groundbreaking for football stadium on north end of ACU campus
• Nov. 5, 2016 – Scheduled final game at Shotwell Stadium (Northwestern State vs. ACU)
• Sept. 16, 2017 – Scheduled first game at on-campus football stadium (Houston Baptist vs. ACU)
