Carter–Finley Stadium

Wayne Day Family Field at
Carter–Finley Stadium
Former names Carter Stadium (1966-1979)
Location 4600 Trinity Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
Coordinates 35°48′3″N 78°43′10″W / 35.80083°N 78.71944°W / 35.80083; -78.71944Coordinates: 35°48′3″N 78°43′10″W / 35.80083°N 78.71944°W / 35.80083; -78.71944
Owner North Carolina State University
Operator North Carolina State University
Capacity 57,583 (2006–present)[1]
57,500 (2005)
56,800 (2004)
53,800 (2003)
51,500 (1992–2002)
47,000 (1984–1991)
45,600 (1974–1983)
41,000 (1966–1973)
Surface Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass (sidelines are artificial turf)
Construction
Broke ground December 14, 1964[2]
Opened October 8, 1966[3]
Renovated 2006
Expanded 1992, 2003-2005
Construction cost $3.7 million
($27 million in 2016 dollars[4])
Architect Milton Small and Associates[5] & Charles H. Kahn (original 1966 stadium)
Corley Redfoot Architects, Inc. (all additions and renovations since 2001)
Structural engineer LHC Structural Engineers (since 2001)
General contractor L.E. Wooten and Co.[5]
Tenants

NC State Wolfpack football (NCAA) (1966–present)

Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks (WLAF) (1991)

Wayne Day Family Field at Carter–Finley Stadium is home to the NC State Wolfpack football team. It was opened in 1966[6] and has grown to a seating capacity of 57,583 seats.

History

Carter-Finley Stadium

As early as the 1950s, State was looking to replace its on-campus facility, Riddick Stadium. The concrete-and-wood stadium had been built in 1907 and was showing its age. It never held more than 23,000 seats (14,000 permanent) at any time. Partly because of this, many of longtime coach Earle Edwards' teams played more games on the road than at home. Partly due to Edwards' urging, school officials began a concerted effort to build a more modern facility[7][8]

The new stadium finally opened in 1966. It was originally named Carter Stadium, in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. The name of Albert E. Finley, another major contributor to the University, was added in September, 1979.[9]

While located on University land, the stadium is a few miles to the west of the academic campus on Trinity Road, just off of Hillsborough Street.

Carter–Finley Stadium's season tickets have been sold out for nine straight years.

Carter–Finley Stadium has the smallest clearance between the stands and the sidelines of any stadium in the ACC.

Carter–Finley Stadium during NCSU Game

Prior to the 2001 season, the University began a program of modernization of the stadium by enclosing the southern endzone with seats, and the state-of-the-art Murphy Center (named for Wendell Murphy) was built behind it. Following the 2004 football season, Carter–Finley was again expanded with the completion of the "Vaughn Towers", a complex of luxury boxes, club seats, and media facilities which opened for the 2005 football season.[10]

Carter-Finley Stadium

For the 2006 season, a new north end zone grandstand was added consisting of 5,730 new chairback, bench, and handicap-accessible seating with another 1,630 permanent bleacher seats built underneath the video scoreboard making Carter–Finley a bowl and giving it a capacity of 57,583 spectators. Additional upgrades to the stadium included a new north end zone plaza with concession stands and the addition of two video screens in each corner of the south endzone.

Retired numbers displayed on the west facade of Carter–Finley Stadium include those of Roman Gabriel (18), Torry Holt (81), Philip Rivers (17), Bill Yoest (63), Dennis Byrd (77), Dick Christy (40), Jim Ritcher (51), Ted Brown (23), Mario Williams (9), Russell Wilson (16). Carter–Finley also displays banners from NC State's Bowl appearances which include the Gator Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Liberty Bowl.

Notable events

On July 22, 1990, former Beatle Paul McCartney performed here as part of the fourth North American leg of The Paul McCartney World Tour.

On May 10, 1994, Pink Floyd performed a set as part of The Division Bell Tour.

On October 3, 2009, the stadium hosted a concert by U2 and the opening band Muse, during their 360° Tour. This was the first time the venue had hosted a similar event, since the modernization of the stadium.[11]

On July 28, 2011, the World Football Challenge held an exhibition match between Juventus of Italy's Serie A, and Guadalajara Chivas of Mexico's Primera Division at the stadium.[12]

On July 1, 2015, The Rolling Stones performed as part of their Zip Code Tour, along with opening act The Avett Brothers.[13]

On May 3, 2016, Beyoncé performed at the stadium as part of her The Formation World Tour, making her the first solo female to headline a concert in the stadium.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Peeler, Tim (October 7, 2009). "Help NC State Trash The Competition". North Carolina State Athletics. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Wolfpack Football Through The Decades". Section Six. July 24, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  3. ↑ Peeler, Tim (September 2, 2009). "USC Spoils Carter Stadium Dedication". The Wolfpacker. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Carter Stadium, and Mr. Finley". North Carolina State University. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  6. ↑ "First game in Carter Stadium (10/8/1966)". Historical State: History in Red and White. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ Longtime NCSU football coach dead at 88. Associated Press, 1997-02-26.
  8. ↑ "Maintaining a sense of place and history". NC State. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  9. ↑ http://historicalstate.lib.ncsu.edu/timelines/search?rows=3&q=Carter-Finley%20Stadium%201960s%20Carter-Finley%20Stadium%20(Raleigh,%20N.C.)
  10. ↑ "Carter–Finley Stadium". North Carolina State Athletics. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  11. ↑ Pond, Dave (September 2009). "Setting the Stage". Outside the Classroom. North Carolina State University. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  12. ↑ Laws, William E. (July 8, 2011). "International soccer powers set to play at Carter–Finley". The News & Observer (Raleigh). Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Behind the scenes: Setting up for the Rolling Stones concert at N.C. State's Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh (Slideshow) - Triangle Business Journal". Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  14. ↑ "The Formation World Tour". beyonce.com. February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.

External links

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