Perhaps one of the most well
known venues because of the one game it hosts each year, the Liberty
Bowl has been the site to many football games over the past four
decades. In the early 1960s there was talk of building a new football
stadium in the Memphis area. By 1965, that talk became a reality when
$3.7 million was spent to construct a new stadium. Prior to moving to
the Liberty Bowl, the Tigers had played at the 25,000 seat Crump
Stadium since 1934.
In 1967, the Tigers moved to the new
stadium, then known as Memphis Memorial Stadium. It was originally
named after Memphis residents who served in World War I, World War II
and the Korean War. The stadium was renamed Liberty Bowl Memorial
Stadium after the annual Liberty Bowl was moved from Philadelphia to
Memphis. Like every other
stadium, the Liberty Bowl has undergone several expansion projects
over the years. Before the 1987 season, $19.5 million was spent on
several
expansions including the addition of luxury suites, 12,000
seats and a new stadium club. In 2005, $15 mill was spent on
general repairs to the stadium and installing Fieldturf, replacing the
grass playing field. Of course the stadium is most popular for
hosting the annual Liberty Bowl game each year.
The game has
been played at the stadium since 1967 and the champion of Conference
USA serves as the host team. The Liberty Bowl was also home of the
Tennessee Oilers (NFL) during the 1997 after moving from Houston.
Liberty
Bowl
