Old Cardinal Stadium

See also State Farm Stadium for the current home of the Arizona Cardinals football team.
Cardinal Stadium
Former names Fairgrounds Stadium (1956–1982)
Location 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209
Coordinates 38°12′8″N 85°44′34″W / 38.20222°N 85.74278°W / 38.20222; -85.74278Coordinates: 38°12′8″N 85°44′34″W / 38.20222°N 85.74278°W / 38.20222; -85.74278
Owner Kentucky State Fair Board
Operator Kentucky Exposition Center
Capacity 47,925
Stage Set-up: 19,901
End Stage Set-up: 47,925
Football: 36,103
Baseball: 19,901
Field size Baseball:
Left field - 360 feet (110 m)
Center field - 405 feet (123 m)
Right field - 312 feet (95 m)
Surface AstroTurf
Construction
Opened 1956
Demolished Partial demolition: 2014
Full demolition: 2019 (expected)
Tenants
Louisville Cardinals football (NCAA) (1957–1997)
Louisville Raiders (UFL) (1960–1962)
Louisville Colonels (IL) (1968–1972)
Kentucky Trackers (AFA) (1979–1982)
Louisville Redbirds/RiverBats (AA/IL) (1982–1999)
Louisville Cardinals baseball (NCAA) (1998–2004)

"Old" Cardinal Stadium is the common name of a former college and minor league baseball and college football stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, officially named Cardinal Stadium. It is on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, and was called Fairgrounds Stadium when it first opened for an NFL exhibition football game between the Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles on September 9, 1956.[1]

The lone Bluegrass Bowl was held here in 1958. Cardinal Stadium was home to the Louisville Raiders football team from 1960 through 1962. It was the home to two minor league baseball teams in Louisville: the Louisville Colonels in 1957-1962 and again in 1968–1972 and the Louisville Redbirds in 1982–1999. It was to be the home of the American League Kansas City Athletics when their owner Charles O. Finley signed a contract to move the team to Louisville in 1964, but the American League owners voted against the move.[2][3] The Kentucky Trackers of the AFA played at Cardinal Stadium 1979–1980. It also served as the home of the University of Louisville football team from 1957 to 1997 and their baseball team from 1998–2004. It was also used heavily as a high school football stadium, hosting state championship games from 1964 to 2002, including hosting all four state championship games played annually 1979–2002. Several local schools also played some games in Cardinal Stadium prior to 1998, including the annual St. Xavier-Trinity rivalry featuring the two major boys' Catholic high schools in the city.

Cardinal Stadium from a distance

The stadium was renamed Cardinal Stadium in 1982 when the Louisville Redbirds (now the Louisville Bats) of the American Association became co-tenants of the stadium.

Cardinal Stadium hosted the 1991 Triple-A All-Star Game. The team of National League-affiliated All-Stars defeated the team of American League-affiliated All-Stars, 6–5.[4]

The stadium is now largely vacant, with its primary use as a venue for music concert and automotive events occurring during the Kentucky State Fair. This is due to the university's football team moving into the new on-campus Cardinal Stadium in 1998 and the Redbirds moving downtown to Louisville Slugger Field in 2000.[5]

Outside of the concerts for the Kentucky State Fair, the Rolling Stones played a concert at Cardinal Stadium on September 19, 1989, as part of the Steel Wheels Tour. Living Color opened for the legendary rock band. Boy band N'Sync performed at Cardinal Stadium on August 10, 2001, as part of the PopOdyssey Tour.

From 2001 to 2003, the Bands of America Louisville Regional Championships were held at the stadium.

Local proposals included the demolition of Cardinal Stadium in order to build a new arena, as part of the long term push to build a new indoor-facility to replace the aging Freedom Hall, which is also at the Exposition Center. However, this possibility became moot with the 2010 opening of the downtown KFC Yum! Center and continued use of Freedom Hall as a venue for concerts and smaller sporting events. More recent plans from the Kentucky State Fair Board sought to demolish this facility to build an outdoor amphitheater with permanent seating for 12,000. On April 26, 2013, the Kentucky State Fair Board stated that the seating in the stadium was unstable for people to sit in. Seating was placed on the field for concerts at the 2013 and 2014 Kentucky State Fair. Demolition of the most unsafe portions of the stadium began on November 17, 2014.[6]

During its 2018 regular session, the Kentucky General Assembly (state legislature) approved funds for the complete demolition of Old Cardinal Stadium, and in September of that year, the president of the Kentucky State Fair Board told legislators that complete demolition would start sometime in early 2019. The Fair Board has issued a request for proposals by private contractors to redevelop the stadium site.[7]

Interior, 2008
Football stands, 2008

See also

References

  1. ↑ Trouppers, Gerti. The Tiger Gridiron Record. Lulu.com. p. 66. ISBN 9780557253562. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
  2. ↑ "Finley Signs Contract to Transfer Athletics to Louisville", New York Times, 1964-01-06, retrieved 2008-04-29
  3. ↑ John Drebinger (1964-01-18). "Finley Will Open in Kansas City, But Promises Court Action Soon". New York Times.
  4. ↑ "Triple-A All-Star Game Results (1988–1992)". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ Lord, Joseph (April 26, 2013). "Old Cardinal Stadium Grandstands Too Deteriorated to Use for Kentucky State Fair". WPFL News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Old Cardinal Stadium Demolition Begins Today". WKMS. 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  7. ↑ "Old Cardinal Stadium expected to be demolished in months". Louisville, KY: WDRB. September 18, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
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