Departments
|
A few people call it the stadium that love built. Others say the building of U of L's new stadium has been a matter of destiny. Perhaps it truly is a field of dreams.
The strong emotional attachment many fans have to the stadium, which is connected to Belknap Campus by Floyd Street, is understandable if you know the story behind the steel and cement.
This new facility rests not just on reinforced steel, but on the personal sacrifices and hopes of thousands of fans who remember how the project was repeatedly mocked, discouraged, or ignored. They remember vividly that, when it came time for leadership, it wasn't the government or corporations that took the biggest step. Instead, when the drive to build America's newest college football stadium began, it had its roots in living rooms and city pubs and in the hearts of the fans who planned it, paid for it, and eventually built it. A new stadium for the Cards has been a dream for U of L fans since the days of Coach Frank Camp and stars like Johnny Unitas '55A and Lenny Lyles '58A.
The idea of an on-campus stadium was reenergized when former Coach Howard Schnellenberger came back to his hometown from Miami in 1985. He began to build a program he hoped would one day provide a place Cardinal fans could call their own. And it was bank president and community leader Malcolm Chancey '54B who convinced Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson '91AD, Jefferson County Judge-Executive David Armstrong '69L, and then-U of L president Donald C. Swain to form key committees and to give the project a chance.
But on June 2, 1993, when U of L began an all-out blitz to raise funds to launch the project, it became a very personal matter for thousands of fans who had never been-and may never again be-involved in such a crusade. A part of the stadium was built in living rooms like the one in the suburban home of U of L alumni Jack '78B and Sharon '76B Freibert. The Freiberts hosted one of the first Tupperware-style parties that summer where U of L staffers presented a special video and answered questions about plans for the new stadium.
"We invited people at work and long-time friends, and we put flyers in mailboxes in the subdivison," says Sharon Freibert. "We had a diverse group-builders, secretaries, housewives, shop owners, teachers, accountants, and dentists." Nearly everyone who attended eventually bought tickets and contributed to the new stadium.
"But what I remember most," she says, "is the hope we all shared to have a stadium of our own. We wanted our team to have the chance to compete on the national level. We have a pride and sense of ownership in our university, so we wanted to make a statement that 'we are U of L and we're proud of it.'"
Across town in a small neighborhood pub the feeling was the same. Ken Nord, whose son, Rick, is a starting offensive guard and co-captain for this year's U of L squad, hosted a series of community events at his Brown Bag Deli, which is within walking distance of the new stadium. With the help of former U of L offensive linemen Tom Andrews '85A and Pete McCartney '86SJA, Nord's sessions generated nearly $180,000 for the project. "From the beginning, the idea of building the new stadium was a battle and the fans were the infantry," says Nord. "Some fans gave $50, some $200, and some $10,000. Most gave all they could afford."
Why did this project mean so much to so many people? And why were they so willing to sacrifice for a project that was barely on the drawing board?
"By '93, a new pride had been instilled in the program," says Nord. "Fans wanted to see the team do even better and they believed it simply wouldn't happen if they played at the Fairgrounds. Think about it... it takes a lot for someone to say, 'I'm going to give up having a new car or making a home improvement, and instead make a commitment to a dream." During that frantic summer of '93, U of L Athletics processed orders for nearly 18,000 tickets, years before the first shovel dug into the site. Since then, the project has overcome controversy, setbacks, the departure of Schnellenberger, weather delays, and a strike. Fan support survived each test.
"The people started it, and the vast majority stuck with it," says Lee Dentinger '93B. "The delays tempted almost everyone to reconsider at one time or another. For awhile it didn't look good. Now, five years later, the stadium is ready. Opening day will be the day we've all been waiting for."
The remarkable, perhaps unprecedented, response even surprised the people who organized the campaign. Bob Allison '91AD, a key member of the stadium's marketing committee, recalls how donors were guided by their emotions.
"For the fans to donate so much money for this dream was like loaning cash to a bright, young kid with a promising future. It was a belief that this project simply had to happen," says Allison.
But there were tough times along the way. "I recall when the state legislature wouldn't help, and when some people who were expected to help did not. Thinking back, those situations may have served to pour kerosene on the fire. They made the committee and the fans even more determined," says Allison.
The project had a different meaning for each person, and the campaign offered something for everyone. Fans could commit to as little as $25 a year or as much as a one-time charge of $25,000 per seat.
Local auto dealer Sam Swope '82AD, who co-chaired the marketing committee with businessman Sam Rechter '93AD, has long been known for his slogan, "Nobody walks away." And the fund-raising effort seemed to follow that motto.
Many fund-raising campaigns start first with large corporate donations. But this one called on the fans from the beginning. This proved to be an excellent test to see if there was enough fan interest to build the new stadium. The fans voted decisively-with their pocketbooks. "Once the fans put up nearly $15 million to launch the project, it was much more reasonable for the committee to approach corporate Louisville and local political leaders for assistance," says Tom DeMuth '91AD, who teamed with Allison to create the marketing plan. "The fans believed this could be done. They willed it to happen."
For some fans, the new stadium and the resulting reshuffling of season tickets provided a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring old friends back together.
"Back in '93, 12 of us from the old Flaget High School decided to buy tickets in the new stadium," says Don Craig '68S. "Most of us grew up together. Some went to Bellarmine, some to U of L. Some never had a chance to go to college. But the stadium gave us all the chance to bring our families back together."
Even before opening day, the drive to build the stadium served as a reunion, a crusade, and an emotional roller coaster. For nearly everyone involved, there's a personal side to the story. For Louisville native Ken Cecil '98AD, the project manager for Huber, Hunt & Nichols who oversaw construction, it was a chance to make sure the city's largest sports facility was "done right."
For J. Dennis Bodemann '72B, it was "an opportunity to be part of building something special for my school." His company, Bodemann Mechanical, handled mechanical installations for the project.
For Bruce Henderson '73S, president of Henderson Electric Co., the stadium's giant lighting system provided one of his largest contracts ever. "There's a special sense of pride about this job," he says. For Nick Schmitt '73S, who began preliminary environmental site evaluations in 1993, this project took on a special tone.
"This was the most focused I've ever seen a group of contractors," says the Louisville native and assistant vice president of Law Engineering. "We knew the first game kickoff was a hard deadline, so the project took on a real team spirit."
For the Greater Louisville community, the stadium campaign has made an important statement, according to Tom DeMuth. "The fans have sent a message that when people in Louisville have a vision of what they want, they find a way to get it done," he says. Now, finally, what U of L folks will call the nation's best college stadium stands tall as first-class testimony to the university's renewed commitment to major college football, and as a tribute to its fans' relentless pursuit of the dream.
Ron Steiner is editor of The Louisville SportsReport.
