Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium

Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Wagner Field
Location	1800 College Avenue Manhattan, KS 66502-3308
Broke ground	October 1, 1967
Opened	September 21, 1968
Renovated	1993, 2006, 2013
Expanded	1970, 1999
Owner	Kansas State University
Operator	Kansas State University
Surface	GameDayGrass 3D60H 2011 to present Fieldturf 2002 to 2010 Astroturf 1991 to 2001 Superturf 1980 to 1990 Astroturf 1970 to 1979 Natural grass 1968 to 1969
Construction cost	$1.6 million (original structure) ($NaN in 2024 dollars)
Architect	HOK Sport (renovations)
Former names	KSU Stadium (1968–2005)
Tenants	Kansas State Wildcats (NCAA) (1968–present)
Capacity	50,000 (2006-present) 50,300 (1999-2005) 43,000 (1970-1998) 35,000 (1968-1969)

Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium is a stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. It is used for American football, and is the home field of the Kansas State University Wildcats football team. It is named after head coach Bill Snyder and his family. Since 1990, K-State is 113-26-1 (.807) at home.

Construction and renovations

Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium opened as KSU Stadium in 1968, with a seating capacity of 35,000. It was the replacement for the on-campus Memorial Stadium, which hosted Kansas State football games since 1922 (and is still standing today). The first game played at the new stadium was on September 21, 1968 – Kansas State shut out Colorado State 21-0.

In 1970, 4,000 permanent bleacher seats were added to the east side and 3,000 temporary seats on the west side. Also that year, an AstroTurf playing field was installed in place of natural grass.

Over the next two decades, the stadium received only periodic updates. First, the original turf was replaced in 1980 with a product called Superturf, and lights were installed prior to the 1983 season. In 1988, the south end of the stadium was partially enclosed when the new Bramlage Coliseum was completed. A large reception room inside the coliseum now overlooks the south end of the stadium. Finally, prior to the 1991 season, another new artificial playing surface was installed and the playing field was named Wagner Field for the Dave and Carol Wagner family of Dodge City, Kansas.

In 1993, on its 25th anniversary, KSU Stadium saw its first significant permanent addition – a five-level press box and luxury suites on the west side of the field, named the Dev Nelson press box. After the 1998 season, the stadium underwent another expansion, a $12.8 million project designed by HOK Sport that added an upper deck on the east grandstands, club seating, and more luxury suites, which increased the official stadium capacity to 50,300. Prior to the 2002 season, the artificial turf was updated to a more cushioned FieldTurf surface at a cost of $800,000.

Prior to the 2006 season, another $5.6 million was used to renovate the locker-room complex and add new north end zone seating, reportedly raising the permanent seating capacity by approximately 1,900. The renovation also included new audio and visual electronics and a new hydrotherapy center. Although new permanent seating was added, the athletic department actually lowered the stadium's official seating capacity to 50,000 following the renovation.

After the 2010 season the field was replaced with artificial gameday turf. Additional renovations unveiled for the 2011 season included the addition of concessions and restrooms in the east side upper deck.

The main entrance to the West Side Stadium Center, with statue of Bill Snyder.

Phased Master Plan

The Master Plan is the future development of the athletic campus' West side. The project is part of K-State President Schulz's 2025 visionary plan and is estimated to take 15 years to complete. Phase I and Phase II was completed in August 2011 and August 2013 respectively. Phase III is currently under development. Master Plan Details

Phase I: Fan Amenities and Student-Athlete Safety

• New Restrooms on the East Side Upper Concourse
• Updated Concession Areas
• New state-of-the-art infill turf and endzone extensions for Dave Wagner Field

Phase II: West Side Stadium Expansion

• A new Northwest Gateway to Campus
• Student-Athlete Dining Hall
• Hall of Fame
• Ticketing Office
• New Concessions
• New Restrooms
• Upscale Revenue Seating
• University Ent. and Event Spaces
• Media/Broadcast Level
• Office Space
• New Team Store
• West Side Landscaping and Plaza
• Enhanced Field Lightning

West Side Stadium Center

The most significant addition to the stadium since its construction was the West Side Stadium Center, a $90 million project, which opened for the 2013 season.

The project was led by sports design firm AECOM (formerly Ellerbe Becket), out of Kansas City, with design support from Heery Design in conjunction with Construction Managers GE Johnson and Mortenson Construction. K-State broke ground on the project prior to the 2012 Spring Game. The initial construction process took place around the former Dev Nelson press box. On December 15, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., the old Dev Nelson Press Box, built in 1993, was imploded by controlled explosion to make way for the new center.

The approximately Template:Convert/LoffAoffDbSon facility, constructed in limestone, provides enhanced amenities for fans and student-athletes. The new structure includes larger concession and restroom facilities, new ticket office and retail locations, a K-State Hall of Honor within the large main concourse, a student-athlete dining hall, new club and loge seats as well as additional premium suites and a new press/media level. An outdoor Tailgate Terrace provides fans a place to enjoy the tailgating atmosphere of a K-State game day. The second through fourth levels have outdoor suite, club and loge seating. The fifth level is designated for media and coaches on game-days and will be the new permanent home for the K-State Media relations office.

The center was officially dedicated on August 30, 2013, in conjunction with the unveiling of an eleven-and-a-half foot bronze statue of head football coach Bill Snyder in front of the structure. The statue, weighing 1800 pounds, was created by nationally acclaimed sculptor E. Spencer Schubert.

Phase III: Student Athlete and Hospitality Amenities

• Strength and Conditioning Center
• Varsity Club and Seating Area
• Recruiting Lounge
• Video and Ribbon Board Additions
• Distributed Sound System
• South Stadium Fan Amenities
• Limestone Field Wall
• Field Perimeter Surface Upgrades

Phase IV: Miscellaneous Enhancement Opportunities

• Potential TBD Space: condo, office, retail, etc.
• Pavilion Entertainment Area
• Kid Zone/Family Playground

Phase V: Connections/Seating Adjustments/Additions

• Potential Seating Additions
• Concourse Additions and Connections

Phase VI: Football Training Facility Upgrades

• Update of Vanier Complex/Existing Training Facility

Name

Before the final game of the 2005 season, Kansas State offered to name the stadium Bill Snyder Stadium in honor of retiring head coach Bill Snyder. In 17 years, Snyder had turned the Wildcats, once the definition of college football futility, into a frequent championship contender in the Big 12 Conference. When he was asked about renaming the stadium, Snyder told school officials, "If you are going to do it, name it after the people that I care about the most." Hence, the Regents renamed the stadium to honor the family of the coach who had led the team for 17 years.

Starting in the 2009 season, Snyder returned to coach the team again, becoming one of only three coaches in division I FBS history to coach in a stadium that bears his name, joining Bear Bryant at Alabama and Shug Jordan at Auburn.

Historical notes

• From 1996 to 2000, Kansas State won 26 consecutive games on its home field. This is the 25th-longest home winning streak in NCAA history.
• On August 31, 1996, the stadium hosted the first athletic competition in Big 12 Conference history: a football game between Kansas State and Texas Tech. Kansas State won the game 21-14 amid pomp and ceremony.
• The first night game at the stadium was held on October 23, 1982, when TBS erected temporary lights to televise a game against the University of Kansas. Kansas State won the game 36-7, in front of a then-record crowd of 43,167.
• Kansas State's 100th game at the stadium was a 21-14 loss to Iowa State on November 16, 1985.
• Kansas State's 200th game at the stadium was a 40-7 win over Louisiana Tech on November 17, 2001.
• The stadium has hosted several Kansas State High School Activities Association State Championship contests and Kansas Shrine Bowl games.

Top 10 crowds at Snyder Stadium

Kansas State has exceeded the official capacity at Bill Snyder Family Stadium multiple times; following are the top 10 crowds:

The stadium as it appeared in 2006, with the former Dev Nelson press box on the left.

• 53,811 – #4 Nebraska, November 11, 2000 (W, 29–28)
• 53,351 – #1 (FCS) North Dakota State, August 30, 2013 (L, 21–24)
• 53,310 – #2 Oklahoma, October 16, 2004 (L, 21–31)
• 53,073 – Louisiana-Lafayette, September 7, 2013 (W, 48–27)
• 53,011 – #8 Oklahoma, October 14, 2000 (L, 31–41)
• 52,898 – West Virginia, October 26, 2013 (W, 35-12)
• 52,894 – Massachusetts, September 14, 2013 (W, 37–7)
• 52,803 – #15 Baylor, October 12, 2013 (L, 25–35)
• 52,773 – #22 Oklahoma, November 23, 2013 (L, 31–41)
• 52,697 – TCU, November 16, 2013 (W, 33–31)

Non-football uses

The facility has hosted a very small number of non-football activities. On September 5, 1987, Willie Nelson performed a concert at the stadium to raise money for Farm Aid, following a Kansas State football game against Austin Peay State.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums
• Memorial Stadium – Kansas State football field from 1922 to 1967
• Ahearn Field – Kansas State football field from 1911 to 1921

External links

• Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium at kstatesports.com