Ben Hill Griffith Stadium
| "The Swamp" | |
 |
|
| Former names | Florida Field (1930–1989) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field (1989–2016) |
|---|---|
| Location | 157 Gale Lemerand Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611 |
| Coordinates | 29°39′0″N 82°20′55″W / 29.65000°N 82.34861°WCoordinates: 29°39′0″N 82°20′55″W / 29.65000°N 82.34861°W |
| Owner | University of Florida |
| Operator | University Athletic Association |
| Capacity | 88,548 (2003–present) 83,000 (1991–2002) 72,000 (1982–1990) 62,800 (1966–1981) 46,164 (1960–1965) 40,116 (1950–1959) 21,769 (1930–1949) |
| Record attendance | 90,916 |
| Surface | Natural grass (1930–1970) Astroturf (1971–1989) Bermuda grass (1990–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 16, 1930 |
| Opened | November 8, 1930 |
| Renovated | 2003, 2011, 2015 |
| Expanded | 1950, 1960, 1966, 1982, 1991, 2003, 2008 |
| Construction cost | $118,000 (1930)($1,570,177.60 in 2011 dollars) |
| Architect | Rudolph Weaver |
| Tenants | |
| Florida Gators (NCAA) (1930–present) | |
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium), popularly known as "The Swamp", is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the Florida Gators football team and is on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was built in 1930 with a capacity of about 22,000, and has been expanded, renovated, and improved many times over the ensuing decades. Most of the football coach and administrative offices and the football team's training facilities have been under the south and west stands of Florida Field since the 1960s. In 2016, the University of Florida Athletic Association announced plans to build a $60 million stand-alone football facility which is scheduled to open in 2019.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 18th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548 – though, it has often held over 90,000 for Gators' home football games.
The stadium is on the northern edge of the University of Florida campus near the center of Gainesville, Florida. The stadium and its approach are bordered by West University Avenue on the north side, Gale Lemerand Drive (previously North–South Drive) on the west, and Stadium Road on the south. Just east of the stadium is the University of Florida Campus Historic District, which is the oldest portion of the campus and includes the Murphree Area student residence complex, the Florida Gymnasium, and Ustler Hall. Just west of the stadium across Gale Lemerand Drive is the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, which is the home arena for the Florida Gators men's basketball, women's basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, and swimming and diving teams. Just beyond the O'Connell Center are the football team's practice facilities and Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, home field of the Florida Gators baseball team. Prior to the 2015 Season a new indoor practice facility was added just north of the baseball field and east of the grass practice fields.
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