This letter was sent to alumni and boosters to inform them of the "major renovation" that the stadium
was going to have after the 2005 season was complete.
|
September 1, 2005
Dear Friends of Stanford University,
Nothing embodies the Cardinal's rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence more than Stanford Stadium-the place where the
Stanford community gathers for both commencement and football games, where generations of Cardinal students, faculty, fans and
friends will congregate for years to come.
Stanford Stadium has served Stanford University well since its construction, but after eight decades of use, the facility is in need of
major upgrades and renovations. An evaluation completed in 2002 indicated that much of the stadium’s infrastructure had reached the
end of its service life. Restroom and concession facilities were considered outdated and inadequate for a comfortable game
experience. Because of the presence of the track and the relationship of the field to the stands, sightlines were considered substandard
such that the bottom 14 rows of seating were considered unusable. Guest circulation, ingress, and egress were considered to be
substandard because of the narrowness of the “mineshaft” and the extensive stairs. Finally, the mineshaft needed additional structural
strengthening because of the presence of dry rot.
Building plans aim to improve sightlines, seating, circulation, ingress and egress, restrooms and concessions to meet modern football
stadium criteria. Plans also call for the replacement of outdated mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. In addition, the G. A.
Richards Press Box will be re-built. The final result of our new stadium will be an improvement in the quality of the facility as an event
venue for our student-athletes with the best levels of service, convenience and comfort for guests.
The new Stanford Stadium will be the single most important capital project in the history of Stanford Athletics. A new stadium means a
solid financial future for the Athletic Department as a whole, guaranteeing a reliable source of annual revenue for the benefit of all of
Stanford’s varsity sports.
In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your tremendous support through the years. Your financial contributions,
volunteer service, and faithful attendance at Cardinal athletic events are truly invaluable. I hope that you will join us this fall as we cheer
on Coach Walt Harris and the Stanford football team, and I look forward to seeing you in the new Stanford Stadium in 2006.
Ted Leland
The Jaquish & Kenninger
Director of Athletics
