Truist Stadium (North Carolina A&T)

Truist Stadium, formerly Aggie Stadium, is a 21,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.[5] W. Edward Jenkins, a North Carolina A&T State University alumnus and architect, designed the stadium. Opened in 1981, the stadium is the home of the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies football team and the Irwin Belk Olympic class track. In addition, Truist Stadium features a "Fitness and Wellness Center". This 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) fitness facility sits behind the scoreboard in the stadium's northeastern corner.

This article is about the multi-purpose stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina. For the ballpark in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, see Truist Stadium. For the American football stadium also in Winston-Salem, see Truist Field at Wake Forest.
Truist Stadium
Former namesAggie Stadium (1966–2018)
BB&T Stadium (2018–2020)
LocationSullivan & E. Lindsey Streets
Greensboro, North Carolina 27405
Coordinates36°4′53″N 79°46′13″W
OwnerNC A&T State University
OperatorNC A&T State University
Capacity17,500 (1981–1995)
21,500 (1995–present)
Record attendance34,769 (2001)
SurfaceBermuda Grass
Construction
Broke ground1980
OpenedSeptember 12, 1981[1]
Renovated1999, 2003, 2011, 2015
Expanded1995, 2003
Construction cost$2.5 million
($7.03 million in 2019 dollars[2])
$4.5 Million (2011 Renovation)
($5.11 million in 2019 dollars[2])[3]
ArchitectJason H. Jones, AIA
Clark-Nexsen (2011 Renovation)
General contractorJ.H. Allen Construction Company[4]
Kenbridge Construction Company (2011 Renovation)
Tenants
North Carolina A&T Aggies football (NCAA) (1981–present)

History

Before the construction of Truist Stadium, North Carolina A&T Aggies played their home football games at Greensboro’s War Memorial Stadium, which was also home to Greensboro's minor league baseball franchise. The university saw a great need to have an on campus stadium that could hold the growing number of fans attending home football games. The stadium was designed by architect W. Edward Jenkins, a North Carolina A&T alumnus, and was constructed at a cost of more than $2.5 million. The stadium opened in 1981 and the first game played there was on September 12, 1981, against rival Winston Salem State University to an overflow crowd of more than 23,000 fans.[6] To date, the largest single game attendance at Truist Stadium was set in 2001 when 34,769 people were in attendance for a football game against the Rattlers of Florida A&M University.

Expansion and improvements
The "Aggievision" Scoreboard and Joseph & Kathleen Bryan Center In the North Endzone of Truist Stadium

The original plans for the stadium called for a seating capacity of 20,000 people, but due to the increased cost of materials, the plan was scaled back to 17,500.[4] For the first 14 years of operation, the stadium’s permanent seating capacity stood at 17,500. However, in 1995 the stadium underwent a major expansion in which 5,000 additional seats were added in the south end zone area to complete the current horseshoe shape and raise the seating capacity to over 21,000. In 1999 a donation by the Ford Motor Company allowed for the construction of stadium lights for night games and an electronic marquee outside the stadium grounds.

In 2001, the university opened the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center behind the stadium’s northeast end zone. Three years later, the Irwin Belk Track was finally completed. The facility is named after the former president of Belk Department Stores and a major financial contributor to the project. the Mondo Super X Performance track features eight 48-inch lanes and wide turns.[7] During the 2004 off season, the scoreboard in the north endzone was removed and replaced with a digital scoreboard and replay screen from daktronics. The new addition named "Agggievision" measured at approximately 66 feet (20 m) high and 48 feet (15 m) wide and was equipped with a 23-foot (7.0 m) video screen and sound system. The most visible addition to Truist Stadium is the 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) Sky Box complete with a Chancellor's Suite, facilities for press and coaches, as well as leasable luxury suites. The project was designed by Jason H. Jones, AIA, with Clark Nexsen's Charlotte Office, and was completed in April in time for the 2012 Football season. For the 2015 season, Aggievision was upgraded with a larger HD replay screen and LED panels.[8]

Non football events
  • International Friendship & Freedom Games (2009, 2010)[9]
  • Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships (2008–Present)[9]
  • Murray Neely Invitational (2009-2010)[9]
  • NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships – East Regional (2006, 2009–Present)[9]
  • NCHSAA Track and Field Championships (2005–present)[9]
  • New Balance Outdoor Nationals (formerly the Nike Outdoor Nationals) (2005–Present)[9]
  • Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational (2004–2005)[9]
  • State Games of North Carolina (2007)[9]
  • USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships (2006–Present)[9]
  • West End Entrance and Press Box Exterior.
  • West End Interior and Press Box.
  • East Side Interior and Track.
  • The "Aggievision" Scoreboard in the North endzone of Truist Stadium in 2012.
  • Newly Updated Aggievision Scoreboard with HD Screen in 2015.
  • The Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center.

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  3. "After eight long months, the wait is over". NC A&T State University Register. April 18, 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  4. "Construction on Stadium Underway After Delays". A&T Register. February 15, 1980. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. "Aggie Stadium and Irwin Belk Track at NC A&T State University". VisitNC.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  6. Blue Death Valley: The History of Aggie Stadium
  7. Collegeovals.com
  8. "Daktronics Helps Improve Fan Experience at 19 Colleges This Fall". daktronics.com. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  9. Aggie Stadium MileSplit.us profile Archived 2007-06-27 at Archive.today
Preceded by
War Memorial Stadium		 Home of the
North Carolina A&T Aggies
1981–present		 Succeeded by
Current
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