Sun Bowl (stadium)
The Sun Bowl is an outdoor football stadium in the southwestern United States, on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. It is home to the UTEP Miners of Conference USA, and the late December college football bowl game, the Sun Bowl. The stadium opened in 1963 and has a nominal seating capacity of 51,500, although UTEP currently lists the capacity as 46,670.[3]
 Aerial view from the northwest in 2009; Kidd Field at upper left | |
  El Paso Location in the United States  El Paso Location in Texas | |
| Address | 2701 Sun Bowl Drive |
|---|---|
| Location | University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 31.773°N 106.508°W |
| Owner | University of Texas at El Paso |
| Operator | University of Texas at El Paso |
| Capacity | 30,000 (1963–1981) 52,000 (1982–2000) 51,500 (2001–present)[1] |
| Surface | Natural grass (1963–1973) AstroTurf (1974–2000) AstroPlay (2001–2014) FieldTurf (2015–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1, 1961[2] |
| Opened | September 21, 1963 |
| Renovated | 2006, 2018 |
| Expanded | 1982 |
| Construction cost | $275,000 (approximate, original) |
| Architect | Garland & Hilles Carroll & Daeuble |
| General contractor | Ponsford Brothers |
| Tenants | |
| UTEP Miners (NCAA) (1963–present) Sun Bowl (NCAA) (1963–present) El Paso Patriots (USL PDL) (1989–2001) Texas vs. Nation Game (NCAA) (2007–2010) El Paso ISD (selected games) | |
History
The stadium, named for the game it hosts, was opened 60 years ago in 1963 with a Texas Western win over North Texas State on September 21. The opening play was a 54-yard touchdown run by Larry Durham of the Miners.[4]
The land on which the stadium sits was originally donated by the university to El Paso County, who built the stadium for the school and the Sun Bowl game. Both had previously used Kidd Field, the current track and field venue, which seats 15,000. The city had realized that the game could not expand its audience or the list of teams that it could invite without a bigger stadium, so the Sun Bowl was built in a natural bowl adjacent to the west. It originally sat 30,000, with only the sideline grandstands. The playing field runs nearly north–south (tilted about 10° NW–SE) at an elevation of 3,910 feet (1,190 m) above sea level.
Renovations
The current press box was added in 1969, and the stadium reached the capacity of 52,000 in 1982 with the addition of the north end zone stands and the expansion of the east stands. (The south end zone is still vacant, with the ground of the bowl covered with the school's logos.)
The school retook control of the land and stadium in 2001, when hundreds of seats were removed as part of a re–configuration of the seating bowl to accommodate soccer, which lowered capacity to its current figure of 51,500.[1]
The school's Athletics Director, Jim Senter, announced on April 13, 2018 plans to renovate the Sun Bowl stadium. The $15 million project would include luxury boxes installed in a new press facility, renovation of the concourses and premium seating added on the west side of the stadium. The renovations were completed in time for the 2021 season.
Notable events
Sun Bowl
The college football bowl game began in January 1936 and moved to the new stadium in December 1963. All games have been played in El Paso.
All-star game
On February 2, 2007, the stadium hosted the inaugural Texas vs. The Nation all-star college football game; the Nation defeated Texas 24–20.[5]
Concerts
Since the 1990s, the Sun Bowl has hosted several concerts such as The Rolling Stones, U2, Pink Floyd, Ricky Martin, NSYNC, One Direction (a sellout), Guns 'n' Roses, and a co-headlining performance by Motley Crue, Def Leppard, and Alice Cooper. Notably, the Mexican pop sensation RBD kicked off their Soy Rebelde Tour with their first live performance in nearly 15 years at the Sun Bowl.
Other events
On February 17, 2016, the stadium hosted festivities and a simulcast of the Mass held by Pope Francis during the pontiff's visit to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, several miles away across the Rio Grande.[6]
Other tenants
For a short time before moving to Dudley Field, the El Paso Patriots soccer team in the Premier Development League (now known as USL League Two) made its home at the Sun Bowl. The Patriots played their final seasons at Patriot Stadium.
Photos
View from the Durham Center
View from tunnel
View from within the stadium
View from northern entrance
References
- "UTEP-Marshall Game Sold Out". UTEP Athletics. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- "Bean Tags Charge As "Ridiculous"". The Bonham Daily Favorite. September 6, 1962. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
- "UTEP Quick Facts" (PDF). 2022 UTEP Football Media Guide. UTEP Miners. p. 2. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- "Miners 'bowl' Eagles with 34–7 win". The El Paso Times. September 22, 1963. Retrieved November 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Matthew Aguilar. "Team Nation victorious". El Paso Times. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
- "Pope Francis hosts papal mass 2Nations1Faith event". Fox7Austin.com. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
External links
- UTEP Athletics – Sun Bowl
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Home of the Sun Bowl 1963–present |
Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by | Home of the UTEP Miners 1963–present |
Succeeded by Current |