Kingston Stadium

Kingston Stadium is a football stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Kingston Stadium is located southwest of downtown Cedar Rapids, adjacent to Veterans Memorial Stadium and ImOn Ice Arena. Opened September 12, 1952, it was named for a settlement called Kingston established in 1839 on the west side of the Cedar River which was later annexed into Cedar Rapids.[2]

Kingston Stadium
Address907 15th Street SW[1]
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Coordinates41°58′02.68″N 91°41′24.41″W
Capacity15,000[2]
Construction
OpenedSeptember 12, 1952 (1952-09-12)[2]
Renovated2019
Construction cost1952: $550,000[2] ($5.3 million in 2019 dollars[3])
2019: $2 million[4]

In 2019, Kingston Stadium underwent three-months of renovations at a cost of $2 million. Upgrades included new turf, improved ADA compliant bleachers, and an eighth track lane allowing for state qualifying meets. The north bleachers were demolished and replaced with a grassy hillside.[4][5]

Uses

Kingston Stadium is the home stadium for Jefferson, Kennedy, and Washington high school football games.[2] It previously hosted Regis and LaSalle high schools when they were in existence, and Coe College games before K. Raymond Clark Field was built.[2]

Kingston Stadium hosted a Canadian Football League exhibition game in 1961, and one NFL exhibition game each in 1961, 1962, and 1963.[2]

In the 1970s Kingston Stadium was home to three semipro football teams: the Rapid Raiders (Midwest Football League) in 1972 and 1973; the Buccaneers (Central States League) in 1974; and the Falcons (Chicagoland League; Northern States League) in 1976 and 1977.[6] The 1972 Rapid Raiders won the Midwest Football League championship.[6] In 1978, the Metro Falcons (Northern States League) were refused permission to play at Kingston Stadium.[7]

The Cedar Rapids Rampage United amateur soccer team in the Premier League of America played at Kingston Stadium in 2017.[8]

The stadium has also been used for public school graduation ceremonies, cheerleading, marching band festivals, track meets and soccer matches.[2][5]

References
  1. Chavez, Emily (August 14, 2020). "List of storm resources for Linn County". KGAN. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  2. Dukes, Mark (August 23, 2015). "Kingston Stadium's proud history". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  3. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. Christensen, Josh (April 17, 2019). "Renovations to begin at Kingston Stadium". KCRG-TV. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  5. "Kingston Stadium Ready for the Lights". www.cr.k12.ia.us. Cedar Rapids Community School District. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  6. Dukes, Mark (August 28, 2017). "Time Machine Cedar Rapids Rapid Raiders were football junkies". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  7. Campagna, Bob (August 31, 2017). "From the Sun archives: July 20 and 27, 1978 Semi-pro Metro Falcons take the field". Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun. Mount Vernon, Iowa. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  8. Miles, Douglas (June 16, 2017). "At last, Cedar Rapids Rampage United set for Kingston Stadium debut". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
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