Mile High Stadium facts for kids
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Aerial view of Mile High Stadium circa 1980
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| Former names | Bears Stadium (1948–1968) |
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| Address | 2755 West 17th Avenue |
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 39°44′46″N 105°1′18″W / 39.74611°N 105.02167°W |
| Owner | City & County of Denver (1968–2001) Rocky Mountain Sports, Inc. (Denver Bears/Broncos, 1948–1968) |
| Operator | Denver Parks and Recreation |
| Capacity | 76,273 (1986–2001) 75,100 (1984–1985) 75,123 (1982–1983) 75,103 (1980–1981) 75,092 (1979) 75,087 (1977–1978) 63,532 (1976) 51,706 (1973–1975) 51,656 (1972) 51,200 (1971) 50,705 (1970) 50,000 (1968–1969) 34,643 (1966–1967) 34,264 (1962–1965) 34,657 (1960–1961) 18,000 (1948–1959) |
| Field size | Left Field: 333 ft (101 m) Left-Center: 366 ft (112 m) Center Field: 423 ft (129 m) Right-Center: 400 ft (122 m) Right Field: 370 ft (113 m) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1947 |
| Opened | August 14, 1948 |
| Expanded | 1959, 1968, 1976, 1977, 1986 |
| Closed | September 8, 2001 |
| Demolished | January–April 17, 2002 |
| Architect | Stanley E. Morse |
| General contractor | Platt Rogers Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| Denver Bears (WL) (1948–1954) Denver Bears / Zephyrs (AA / PCL) (1955–1992) Denver Broncos (AFL / NFL) (1960–2000) Denver Dynamos (NASL) (1974–1975) Colorado Caribous (NASL) (1978) Denver Gold (USFL) (1983–1985) Colorado Rockies (MLB) (1993–1994) Colorado Rapids (MLS) (1996–2001) |
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Mile High Stadium was a famous sports venue in Denver, Colorado. It was originally called Bears Stadium until 1968. This outdoor stadium hosted many different sports and events from 1948 to 2002.
The stadium was first built in 1948 for the Denver Bears baseball team. It was designed for baseball, but it grew over the years. More seats were added to make room for the Denver Broncos football team. The city also hoped to attract a Major League Baseball team. Even though it started as a baseball park, it became very well-known as a professional football stadium.
The Broncos played at Mile High Stadium from their start in the AFL in 1960 until 2000. The Bears baseball team, later called the Zephyrs, played there until 1992. Then, Denver got its own Major League Baseball team, the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies played their first two seasons (1993 and 1994) at Mile High. They set new attendance records while their new home, Coors Field, was being built.
Mile High Stadium also hosted other professional teams. The Denver Gold football team played there from 1983 to 1985. Three professional soccer teams also called it home: the Denver Dynamos (1974–1975), the Colorado Caribous (1978), and the Colorado Rapids (1996–2001). The Rapids were the last team to play in Mile High Stadium before it closed.
After the Rapids' 2001 season, Mile High Stadium closed its doors. It was taken down in 2002.
History of Mile High Stadium
Early Days as Bears Stadium (1948–1959)
Mile High Stadium began as Bears Stadium in 1948. It was built for minor league baseball by Bob Howsam. The stadium first had 18,000 seats. These seats stretched along one side of the field. In its first full year, 1949, the Bears team had the most fans in all of minor league baseball.
In the late 1950s, there was an idea to create a new major baseball league. To get a team, Denver needed a much bigger stadium. So, Bears Stadium started to expand. Over 8,000 seats were added, making the stadium hold 23,100 people.
Major League Baseball decided to expand its own leagues instead. Denver did not get a team right away. This left the stadium with many seats but no major league team. To help with costs, the stadium needed to host more events, including football.
The Broncos Take Over (1960–1992)
In 1960, more bleachers were added for football games. This brought the stadium's capacity to 34,657. The baseball capacity was 26,500.
The stadium was sold to the city of Denver in 1968. It was then renamed Mile High Stadium. An upper deck was built, increasing the capacity to 50,657 seats. This expansion was needed for Denver to join the AFL–NFL merger.
Stadium Expansions in the 1970s
The Broncos quickly became very popular. Every Broncos game at Mile High Stadium was sold out. This amazing streak continued even after the team moved to a new stadium. As more tickets were sold, the stadium grew to 51,706 seats.
Another big renovation happened from 1975 to 1977. This project added movable, triple-decked stands along the east side. These stands could be moved to change the stadium's shape. For football, they formed a horseshoe shape. For baseball, they could extend out to fit a full-sized field.
This movable section was huge, weighing almost 9 million pounds. Engineers used water and hydraulic rams to move the stands. It took about six hours to shift them 145 feet in or out.
The south stands at Mile High Stadium were known for their loud and passionate fans. These fans made a huge amount of noise, even with open spaces around their section.
Bucky Bronco Statue
In 1975, a large statue of a horse was placed on top of the scoreboard. This 24-foot-tall, 1300-pound fiberglass horse was named "Bucky" by Denver fans. It was painted white to match the Broncos' logo. Bucky stayed at Mile High for 25 years before moving to the new stadium.
1980s Upgrades
Mile High Stadium was unique in the 1970s and 1980s. It was the only professional baseball stadium with an all-grass infield and special sliding areas around the bases. In 1986, 77 luxury suites were added. This brought the official seating capacity to 76,123.
The Colorado Rockies Arrive
When the Colorado Rockies baseball team started in 1993, they played at Mile High. The stadium's large size and the excitement for the new team led to record-breaking attendance. Fans loved the loud atmosphere, especially the sound of stomping in the bleachers. The Rockies played at Mile High for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. They then moved to Coors Field in 1995.
Final Years and Demolition (2000–2002)
The last football game at Mile High Stadium was on December 23, 2000. The Broncos won against the San Francisco 49ers, 38–9. The Broncos had a perfect record against several visiting teams at Mile High.
The Colorado Rapids soccer team played the very last professional game at Mile High Stadium. This was on September 8, 2001, against the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Rapids had played at Mile High from 1996 to 2001.
Mile High Stadium closed in 2001. The Broncos and Rapids moved to the new Empower Field at Mile High next door. The old stadium was taken down starting in January 2002. This event was shown live on local TV. The demolition was finished by April 2002.
Today, the site of the former stadium is a parking lot for Empower Field at Mile High. A small model of the stadium is in the parking lot. Markers show where home plate used to be.
Notable Events and Concerts
Concerts at Mile High
Mile High Stadium hosted many famous concerts over the years.
- In June 1969, the Denver Pop Festival took place. Jimi Hendrix played his last show with his band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, at this festival.
- Lynyrd Skynyrd played there in June 1977.
- The Jacksons performed two concerts in September 1984 during their Victory Tour.
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played two shows in September 1985.
- The stadium hosted the final show of the 1988 Monsters of Rock Festival Tour. This featured bands like Van Halen and Scorpions.
- The Grateful Dead performed in June 1991.
- Metallica and Guns N' Roses played a concert together in September 1992.
- U2 performed twice, in October 1992 and May 1997.
- The Ozzfest music festival was held there in June 1997 and June 2001.
Other Special Events
- Mile High Stadium hosted the Drum Corps International World Championships in 1977 and 1978.
- Billy Graham held his "Rocky Mountain Crusade" at the stadium in 1987.
- In August 1993, Pope John Paul II visited Denver for World Youth Day. He held two events at Mile High Stadium.
- In June 1995, the Promise Keepers, a large Christian ministry, held a huge gathering for over 70,000 men and boys at the stadium.
Images for kids
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Mile High Stadium in 1995
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Mile High para niños
