Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field, previously known as Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium, Jones SBC Stadium and Jones AT&T Stadium, is an outdoor athletic stadium in the southwestern United States, located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Built in the style of Spanish Renaissance architecture, it is the home field of the Texas Tech Red Raiders of the Big 12 Conference.
History
Planning and funding
Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium opened in 1947, with a seating capacity of 27,000. It was named after Texas Tech's third president (1939–1944) and his wife, who donated $100,000 towards its construction. The inaugural game was held on November 29, with Texas Tech defeating Hardin–Simmons 14–6.
Expansion
The stadium's first expansion in 1959 raised the seating to 41,500. The existing east stands were moved a few feet at a time via steel rollers upon Santa Fe Railway rails and moved further east, and the playing surface was lowered below street level to accommodate the new lower bowl. It was expanded again in 1972 with new red metal seats on the north side, increasing capacity to 48,000.
Modernization
The largest renovation project to date was the construction of a $51.9 million, press box on the stadium's west side that included luxury suites, club seating and decks for television cameras and the press. The project added 2,000 seats and was completed during the 2003 season.
The stadium name was changed to Jones SBC Stadium in 2000 due to a naming rights agreement with SBC Communications, then being led by Texas Tech alumnus and CEO Edward Whitacre, Jr. SBC Communications funded a large part of the stadium's West Stadium Club expansion. On April 6, 2006, the facility officially changed names again, this time to Jones AT&T Stadium as a result of SBC's purchase of AT&T Corporation and adoption of AT&T as its new corporate name.
For 2006, the stadium was upgraded with a $2 million inner field wall that matches the traditional Texas Tech style brick façade. An inscribing of the Matador Song at the Double T in the north and south end zones was also added.
In February 2006, the university announced plans to add $60 million worth of upgrades including additional luxury suites, a 1,000-car parking garage, an upper deck, a facade on the east side of the stadium and more seating. The entire project was set to begin following the 2006 season but was cancelled before being re-initiated as a different project in 2008.
East Side Building
On August 7, 2008, the Texas Tech Board of Regents announced a $25 million expansion project. The planned expansion added a Spanish Renaissance-themed façade to the east side of the stadium. In addition to the improvements to the exterior of the facility, the expansion added 1,000 general-admission seats, 550 club seats, and 26 suites. Texas Tech allocated a total of $19 million to the expansion and added another $6 million through fund-raising initiatives.
On November 20, 2008, university officials announced that the project's fundraising goal had been exceeded. Most of the money came from private donations, including a large contribution from AT&T and a $1 million matching gift from Texas Tech System Board of Regents member, Larry Anders. A small amount of the funds was delegated to come from future ticket sales. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the expansion took place on November 29, 2008. Construction began following the 2008 season, and was completed in 2010, bringing the total amount of suites to 89 and seating capacity to 60,454.
North end zone
In May 2009, it was announced an additional 6,100 seats would be added in the northeast and northwest end zones by mid-season. The additional general admission seating was opened in the north end of the stadium on October 24, 2009, bringing capacity at that time to 58,930.
In January 2013, construction began adding another 368 seats in the north end zone, in addition to an observation decks that holds 40. The $16 million project also included a significantly upgraded jumbotron with a new sound system, a Spanish Renaissance-themed colonnade, and a new north end zone concourse connecting the two stadium halves. Along with the other additions, 157 feet of ribbon board were added on the north end zone; more than 160 linear feet in the northeast and northwest corners of the stadium, and 94 lineal feet in the south end zone over the athletic offices. The construction was completed in November 2013.