After undergoing its most glamorous facelift since it opened in 1938, Razorback Stadium is the 51,000-seat Fayetteville home of the Razorbacks. Nearly two years of construction from 1994-1995 resulted in the return of natural grass to the Razorback Stadium field and the complete renovation of the Broyles Complex.
It was the second major expansion in the recent years. Another year-long project in 1984 resulted in the addition of about 10,000 seats, covered areas, press box expansion and sky boxes.
Lights were added to Razorback Stadium in 1990, and the 1997 season marks the first regularly scheduled night games at Fayetteville.
Arkansas' return to natural grass - the high-tech prescription turf hybrid - puts the Razorbacks at the front of the major trends. The Razorbacks were among the first colleges to install artificial turf in 1969.
Originally built as a WPA project with a capacity of 13,500, the Razorbacks won their first home contest, a 27-7 win over Oklahoma A&M on Sept. 24, 1938. The stadium was dedicated later that fall on Oct. 8, against Baylor. The first expansion projects began with the arrival of John Barnhill as athletic director in 1947. An additional 2,500 seats were added to the north end of each side.
In 1950, a new press box was constructed and 5,200 more seats were build on the west side. A 5,200-seat east compliment was completed in 1957. Additional construction projects came in 1965 and 1969, increasing the seating capacity to 42,678 before 1985.
Astroturf was installed in 1969. The Broyles Athletic Center housing the Razorback football offices and athletic department administration was built in 1975. Renovation was completed in 1994 adding significant new training and locker room space.
Arkansas has won 117 games, lost 56 and tied two in Razorback Stadium since 1938. Prior to the dedication of Razorback Stadium, the Hogs played in a stadium built in 1901 on land now occupied by the Mullins Library and the Fine Arts Center. The structure had 300 seats for spectators and a fence around the outside.
Razorback Stadium Milestones
* September 24, 1938: First Game - UA 27, Oklahoma A&M 7
* September 27, 1969: First Game - On Astroturf
UA 55, Tulsa 0
* November 11, 1989: First Game - With Lights
UA 19, Baylor 10
* November 2, 1991: Last SWC Game - Baylor 9, UA 5
* October 3, 1992: First SEC Game - Georgia 27, UA 3
Source: University of Arkansas Men's Athletics Department
On July 4, 1998 James Cherry writes: Frank Broyles, the Univeristy of Arkansas' athletic director, announced Monday tenative plans to expand Razorback Stadium to 73,000 seats in time for the 2000 season. It is expected that plans will be finalized soon. Although the capacity would not be staggering, Razorback Stadium itself would become one of the most modern stadiums in college football and would have considerably more sky boxes than nearly any other facility. Also, it is expected that UA's off-campus stadium, War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, would follow suit. This is because UA has a long tradition of playing half its games off-campus and War Memorial has been in need of major reenovations for years now.
On June 15, 1999 Jeff Necessary wrote: The expansion project for Razorback Stadium at the University of Arkansas has been revised several times since it was announced in 1998. Currently, the projected capacity will be in the neighborhood of 80,000 seats when the expansion is finished. Heery International of Atlanta is the lead architect for the project, and construction is expected to begin in July 1999. However, politics has entered the consideration. To help pay the estimated $60 million cost of the work, Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles wants to alter the allocation of games between the Fayetteville campus and the off-campus home site, War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. In years with six home games, there would be four in Fayetteville, two in Little Rock; in seven-game home schedules, there would be five in Fayetteville. This has angered some prominent Little Rock businessmen, who have threatened to withdraw financial support from the athletic program if any games are moved out of Little Rock. This has also accelerated plans for expansion of the Little Rock facility to 70,000 seats. The University's Board of Trustees will vote on the allocation of games in the fall of 1999.
