Aztec Bowl (stadium) facts for kids
Aztec Bowl
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| Location | 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., San Diego, California |
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| Owner | San Diego State University |
| Operator | San Diego State University |
| Capacity | 10,000 (1936–1948) 12,592 (1948–1995) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1933 |
| Opened | October 3, 1936 |
| Expanded | 1948 |
| Closed | March 1995 |
| Construction cost | $476,863 ($10.2 million in 2022 ) |
| Architect | unspecified |
| Tenants | |
| Aztec football (NCAA) (1936–1966) Aztec rugby -men (USA Rugby) (1958–1995) Aztec rugby -women (USA Rugby) (1975–1986) Aztec soccer -men (NCAA) ( –1995) Aztec soccer -women (NCAA) ( –1995) San Diego Jaws NASL (1976) |
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Aztec Bowl
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in California
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| Architect | multiple |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| Part of | San Diego State College (ID97000924) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1994 |
| Boundary decrease | September 4, 1997 |
| Delisted CP | September 4, 1997 |
Aztec Bowl was a football stadium (a Works Progress Administration project) on the San Diego State University campus in San Diego, California.
History
Aztec Bowl hosted the San Diego State University Aztecs football team until they moved to Qualcomm Stadium in 1967. The stadium held 12,592 people at its peak and cost $500,000 to build. It was dedicated on October 3, 1936 before 7,500 people, after being completed earlier that year.
The stadium was initially supposed to be expanded to 45,000 seats but was expanded only once, to 5,000 seats in 1948.
Current use
Currently Viejas Arena (formerly Cox Arena), the school's basketball arena, sits on the site of the stadium.
National Register of Historic Places
Aztec Bowl is listed on the National Register of Historic Places: The old concrete bleachers of the football stadium were not demolished when the new arena was built. John F. Kennedy, then the President of the United States of America, gave the graduation commencement address at San Diego State University on June 6, 1963.
As a nation, we have no deeper concern, no older commitment and no higher interest than a strong, sound and free system of education for all. In fulfilling this obligation to ourselves and our children, we provide for the future of our nation-and for the future of freedom.
(Historical Video)—John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America, Graduation commencement address to San Diego State College (San Diego, California), June 6, 1963
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In commemoration, the arena was built on top of the steps from which people listened to President Kennedy. The bleachers can be clearly seen from the arena's parking lot on the outside and in the storage areas under the arena seats on the inside of the arena.
There has been a request to remove the stadium from the National Register of Historic Places.
See also
In Spanish: Aztec Bowl (San Diego) para niños
