Arute Field
| Location | 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 |
|---|---|
| Owner | Central Connecticut State University |
| Operator | Central Connecticut State University |
| Capacity | 5,500 (2012-present) 3,000 (2000-2011) |
| Surface | Field Turf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | November 13, 1998 |
| Opened | November 11, 2000 |
| Construction cost | $5 million ($6.95 million in 2017 dollars) |
| Architect | Bernard J. Lombardi |
| General contractor | LTC Construction |
| Tenants | |
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Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (NCAA) (1969–present) Connecticut Constitution (AUDL) (2012) |
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Arute Field is a 5,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. It is home to the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils Football and Men's and Women's Lacrosse teams.
The first incarnation of Arute Field was on land now occupied by the Elihu Burritt Library. The field was moved to its current location in the late 1960s. Jack Arute, Sr., the owner of what was then one of the state's largest construction businesses, took it upon himself to build the first field to bear his family's name. His grandson is the veteran sportscaster who has been with ABC since 1984 and is an award-winning reporter who has covered everything from motor sports to college and pro football.
The family's long relationship with the Teacher's College of Connecticut flourished as Arute Brothers', Inc. began to grow and its patriarch became an active member of the New Britain community. He developed lasting friendships with many members of the college administration and, according to his famous grandson, was upset when the state would not approve funding for a new football field. It was then that Arute literally took matters into his own hands. Using his own funds and manpower, Arute and his crew built the first Arute Field. "He just loved this place," Jack III said. "He loved getting to know everyone here and loved being a part of Central; pretty amazing considering none of his children even went to school here."
Despite the change in location and the constant renovations to make Arute Field one of the best in the conference, the name is still the same, a tribute to the man who did so much for Central Connecticut State. Jack Arute Sr. died in 1965 and his son, Jack Jr., eventually sold the family business in the 1970s and purchased the Stafford Motor Speedway, which the family still owns and operates.
The second incarnation of the stadium was built in 1970 and demolished in 1998. The third and current version of the stadium was built on the same site of the second one, and opened in November 2000. Before the 2012 season, 2,500 seats were added to the east side of the stadium as well as a new state-of-the-art video board.
Coordinates: 41°41′42″N 72°45′42″W / 41.6950545°N 72.7616304°W
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