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 2002-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 outdoor stadium in Denver, Colorado. It was open from 1948 to 2001. When it first opened, it was called Bears Stadium.
The stadium was built for the Denver Bears baseball team. Later, it was made bigger to also host the Denver Broncos football team. Even though it started as a baseball park, it became very well known as a football stadium. It hosted both sports for most of its life.
The Broncos played all their home games at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000. The Bears baseball team, later called the Zephyrs, played there until 1992. After that, the Colorado Rockies baseball team played their first two seasons at Mile High (1993-1994) while their new stadium, Coors Field, was being built.
Many other sports teams also played at Mile High Stadium. These included the Denver Gold football team (1983-1985) and several soccer teams. The Denver Dynamos (1974-1975), Colorado Caribous (1978), and Colorado Rapids (1996-2001) all called Mile High home. The Colorado Rapids were the last team to play there before it closed.
Mile High Stadium closed in 2001 and was torn down in 2002. Today, the area is a parking lot for the new stadium, Empower Field at Mile High.
Mile High Stadium: A Look Back
Building Bears Stadium (1948–1959)
Mile High Stadium began as Bears Stadium in 1948. It was built for a minor league baseball team called the Denver Bears. The stadium first had about 18,000 seats. In its first full year, 1949, the Bears had the most fans in all of minor league baseball.
In the late 1950s, people wanted a third major baseball league. Denver hoped to get a team. To do this, the stadium needed to be much bigger. So, over 8,000 seats were added, bringing the total to 23,100.
Major League Baseball decided to expand its own leagues instead. Denver did not get a team right away. The stadium was now too big for just a minor league team. To help with costs, the stadium started hosting football games too.
Broncos Take Over (1960–1992)
In 1960, more seats were added for football. The stadium could then hold about 34,657 fans. The Denver Broncos football team started playing there that year.
In 1966, the AFL–NFL merger happened. One rule for Denver to join was that Bears Stadium needed to have at least 50,000 seats. So, in 1968, the stadium was sold to the city of Denver. It was renamed Mile High Stadium. New upper decks were built, raising the capacity to 50,657.
Stadium Grows Bigger (1970s)
The Broncos became very popular. They sold out every game, a streak that continued even after they moved to a new stadium. As more tickets were sold, the stadium kept growing. By 1976, it could hold 63,532 fans.
A clever expansion happened from 1975 to 1977. Movable, triple-decked stands were built along the east side. These stands could move 145 feet (44 meters) in or out. When moved in, they formed a horseshoe shape for football games. When moved out, they made space for a full-sized baseball field.
Moving the stands was a big job. Engineers would pump water under the stands to lift them. Then, hydraulic machines would push them. It took about six hours to move the stands completely.
Bucky Bronco Arrives
In 1975, a large statue of a horse was added to the stadium. It was named "Bucky" after a fan poll. Bucky was painted white, like the Broncos' logo. The statue was placed on top of the scoreboard. It stayed there for 25 years before moving to the new stadium. Bucky is 27 feet tall and weighs 1,600 pounds!
Luxury Suites Added (1980s)
In 1986, 77 luxury suites were added to the stadium. These were special, fancy seating areas. This addition increased the stadium's total seating capacity to 76,123.
Rockies Make History (1990s)
When the Colorado Rockies baseball team started in 1993, they played at Mile High Stadium. Fans were very excited about the new team. The stadium's large size and low ticket prices helped the Rockies set new attendance records for Major League Baseball. They had over 4.4 million fans in their first season! They played at Mile High until Coors Field was ready in 1995.
Mile High Stadium was known for being very loud. Fans would stomp their feet in the bleachers, making a huge noise.
Final Games and Demolition (2000–2001)
The last football game at Mile High Stadium was on December 23, 2000. The Denver 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 sports event at Mile High. This was on September 8, 2001, when they lost to the LA Galaxy.
Mile High Stadium closed in 2001. The Broncos and Rapids moved to the new stadium next door, which is now called Empower Field at Mile High. The old stadium was torn down starting in January 2002. This event was even shown live on local TV! The demolition was finished by April 2002.
Today, the site of the old stadium is a parking lot. A small model of the stadium is there. You can also find a marker showing where home plate used to be.
Memorable Events at Mile High
Concerts and Music Festivals
Mile High Stadium hosted many famous concerts and music festivals over the years.
- In June 1969, the Denver Pop Festival took place. Many well-known bands played, including The Jimi Hendrix Experience. This was the last time Jimi Hendrix played with his original band.
- Lynyrd Skynyrd played there in June 1976.
- The Jacksons performed two concerts in September 1984 during their Victory Tour.
- Bruce Springsteen played two shows in September 1985.
- The Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 had its final show there in July 1988. Bands like Van Halen and Metallica performed.
- The Grateful Dead played in June 1991.
- Metallica and Guns N' Roses had 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 again in June 2001.
Other Special Events
- Mile High Stadium hosted the Drum Corps International World Championships in 1977 and 1978.
- The Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps has hosted their "Drums Along the Rockies" event there since 1963. It's one of the longest-running events at the stadium.
- In 1987, Billy Graham held his "Rocky Mountain Crusade" at the stadium.
- In August 1993, Denver hosted World Youth Day. Pope John Paul II visited Mile High Stadium for two events, including a welcoming ceremony.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Mile High para niños
