Ladd-Peebles Stadium
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| Former names | Ernest F. Ladd Memorial Stadium |
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| Location | 1621 Virginia Street Mobile, AL 36604 |
| Coordinates | 30°40′23″N 88°4′32″W / 30.67306°N 88.07556°WCoordinates: 30°40′23″N 88°4′32″W / 30.67306°N 88.07556°W |
| Owner | City of Mobile |
| Operator | City of Mobile |
| Capacity | 40,000 (football, 2011–present) 40,646 (football, 1969–2010) 40,605 (football, 1958–1968) 36,000 (football, 1948–1957) 50,000 (concerts) |
| Surface | Grass (1948–2004) FieldTurf (2004–present) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1948 |
| Construction cost | $10 million (renovations) |
| Architect | Clark Geer & Latham and Associates, Inc. (renovations) |
| Tenants | |
| Mobile County High schools Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic (1988–2010) Senior Bowl (NCAA) (1951–present) Dollar General Bowl (NCAA) (1999–present) South Alabama Jaguars (NCAA) (2009–present) |
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Ladd–Peebles Stadium (formerly Ernest F. Ladd Memorial Stadium) is a stadium in Mobile, Alabama, United States.
It opened in 1948 and has a seating capacity of 33,471. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field for the Senior Bowl, the Dollar General Bowl, and the University of South Alabama Jaguars. In addition to football, the stadium is also used for concerts (maximum capacity 50,000), boxing matches, high school graduations, trade shows, and festivals. Numerous entertainers have performed at Ladd–Peebles Stadium.
The stadium was constructed in 1948 with private funding from a local banker wishing to create a permanent honor to his mentor, Ernest F. Ladd, a local banking magnate who died in 1941, with the stadium initially carrying the name "Ernest F. Ladd Memorial Stadium". On May 4 and 5 of 1955, a tour headlining country and western stars Hank Snow, Faron Young, The Wilburn Brothers, Mother Maybel, The Carter Sisters ( including June, the future Mrs Johnny Cash), Jimmy Rogers Snow, The Davis Sisters, Onie Wheeler and a still unknown Elvis Presley played two nightly shows there. More than 40 years later, in 1997, it was partially renamed as "Ladd-Peebles Stadium", continuing to honor Ladd, but also honoring E.B. Peebles, a civic leader who was instrumental in the revitalization of the Senior Bowl.
In 1997, Ladd–Peebles Stadium underwent a $8.1 million renovation that resulted in a new press box featuring a 120-seat club level and luxury suites, new scoreboards, new PA and lighting systems, new locker rooms, new restrooms, an expansion of the concourse areas, and new concession stands, as well as the stadium offices.
In 2004, the stadium selected and installed FieldTurf as its new playing surface.
On December 6, 2008, the Board of Trustees at the University of South Alabama approved adding football to its intercollegiate athletics program. The move came with the announcement that the team would call Ladd–Peebles Stadium home for at least seven years.
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