Heeeeeeeeere come the Gators,
is just one of the many traditions found at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium,
nicknamed "the swamp." Football at the University of Florida began in
1906, led by Coach James Forsythe. Towards the end of the 1920s, the
University of Florida decided to build a new stadium for its football
team, the Gators. On April 16, 1930 construction on the stadium began
and was completed by October 27, 1930 when the Gators played their
first game. Originally known as Florida Field, the stadium had a
capacity of 21, 769. The original section of seating now encompasses
the lower half of the current stadium. By 1950, the first of many
additions to the stadium was in the works and by the start of the 1950
season 10,000 bleachers were built on the west side. The Gators also
hosted the first night game at Florida Field on September 23, 1950.
Fifteen years later an
additional 10,000 seats were added to the east side and bleachers were
constructed on the south end zone bring the capacity to 62,800. In
1971, the team replaced the grass field with Astroturf, but two
decades later the surface returned to grass. The south end zone with a
skyboxes and a press box was completed increasing the capacity of
Florida Field to 72,000. In 1991, Florida Field was named after Ben
Hill Griffin a donor to the University of Florida. The stadium was
renamed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. Once again in 1991,
construction was completed on the north end zone bring the capacity to
83,000. The most recent addition to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium came in
2001 when $50 million was spent expanding the press box, installing
chair back seats on the club level and building new luxury suites. Ben
Hill Griffin Stadium is now the largest stadium in the state of
Florida with a capacity of just over 88,548. Various levels of seating
enclose the playing field. The Florida Gators have had years of
success at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, including a 30 game winning
streak between 1994 and 1999. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is one of the
most formidable venues for opposing teams to play at as the stadium is
one of the loudest in the nation, the temperature on the field often
reaches 100 degrees and the passion of the Gators fans, selling out
every game since 1989.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO GAINESVILLE AND BEN HILL GRIFFIN STADIUM
HOTELS NEAR
BEN HILL GRIFFIN STADIUM
Arrival Date:
Departure Date:
Adults:
Children:
GATORS TIDBITS
ADDRESS:
Stadium Road
Gainesville, FL 32611
Famous Players:
Emmitt Smith, Steve
Spurrier, Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel, Chris Collinsworth, Kevin
Carter School Traditions: School Colors of Blue & Orange, School Song,
"Go Gators", Marching Band: Pride of the Sunshine, Albert and
Alberta the Gator mascots
Ben
Hill Griffin Stadium
