Home to the now nationally famous
Utah Utes, Rice Eccles Stadium is the newest stadium in the Mountain
West Conference. Prior to its construction in 1998, the old Rice
Stadium was located on the same site as the stadium today. With
the announcement that Salt Lake City would host the 2002 Winter
Olympics, a new stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies needed
to be built. The city along with the University of Utah decided that a
new stadium would be built for the Utes and the Olympics. The old
stadium was demolished after the 1997 season and a new stadium rose in
its place and was completed by 1998.
The Utah Utes made their debut at
the stadium on September 12, 1998 against the Louisville Cardinals. The stadium was
named after Robert L. Rice who donated $1 million for the old Ute
Stadium in 1972. It received its current name, Rice Eccles Stadium,
after George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles donated $10 million for the
stadium's construction. Over 45,000 seats surround the Fieldturf
playing surface. A three tier press
box with 450 club seats and 25 suites is located on one side of the
gridiron. A new $1.6 million video/scoreboard was added before the
2003 season, making Rice Eccles Stadium one of the best stadiums in the
conference. In 2004, the Utes became famous as they went undefeated
and went on to win the 2004 Fiesta Bowl.
