Aztec Bowl (stadium)

This article is about the former stadium at San Diego State University. For the college football bowl game, see Aztec Bowl (game).

Aztec Bowl
Viejas Arena, situated in the former Aztec Bowl stadium in 2005
Map
Location5500 Canyon Crest Dr.,
San Diego, California
OwnerSan Diego State University
OperatorSan Diego State University
Capacity10,000 (1936–1948)
12,592 (1948–1995)
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
Broke ground1933
OpenedOctober 3, 1936; 88 years ago (1936-10-03)
Expanded1948
ClosedMarch 1995
Construction cost$476,863
($10.6 million in 2023 [1])
Tenants
Aztec football (NCAA) (1936–1966)
Aztec rugby -men (USA Rugby) (1958–1995)
Aztec rugby -women (USA Rugby) (1975–1986)
Aztec soccer -men (NCAA) ( –1995)
Aztec soccer -women (NCAA) ( –1995)
San Diego Jaws NASL (1976)
Aztec Bowl
Coordinates32°46′28″N 117°4′29″W / 32.77444°N 117.07472°W / 32.77444; -117.07472
Architectural styleMission/Spanish Revival
Part ofSan Diego State College (ID97000924[3])
CHISL No.798[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 19, 1994 (1994-05-19)
Boundary decreaseSeptember 4, 1997 (1997-09-04)
Designated CHISLSeptember 16, 1964 (1964-09-16)[4]
Removed from NRHPMay 30, 2012
Delisted CPSeptember 4, 1997[5][6]

Aztec Bowl was an outdoor stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University. The stadium was home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team.

History

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Construction of a 10,000 seat stadium began in 1933 following the first of two Works Progress Administration (WPA) grants. 2,592 more seats were added in 1948.

Aztec Bowl hosted the San Diego State Aztecs football team until they moved to San Diego Stadium in 1967. The stadium was used for soccer matches and as a musical venue for the San Diego Symphony, the Grateful Dead in 1969, the Police in 1983 and Lollapalooza in 1994.[7]

John F. Kennedy, then the president of the United States, gave a commencement address and received the first honorary doctorate given by a California State University at the stadium on June 6, 1963.[8][9][10] Then-mayor Pete Wilson's 40th birthday party was held there in 1973.[11]

Viejas Arena, the school's basketball arena, has been sitting on the site of the stadium since 1997. The arena was built directly into the canyon hillside, enclosing one end of Aztec Bowl. Two sections of the stadium's original concrete bleachers and cobblestone walls remain visible.

The stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.[12] A request was made to remove the stadium from the National Register of Historic Places,[13] and was removed on May 30, 2012.[14]

References

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  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "Alvarado Trunk Sewer. Phase IV Project" (PDF). sandiego.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. ^ "CHL # 798 San Diego State College San Diego".
  5. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  6. ^ "Asset Detail".
  7. ^ "SDSU Library, Aztec Bowl: History of San Diego State University (accessed Jan. 16, 2009)". infodome.sdsu.edu. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  8. ^ Geraghty, Coleen L. (May 12, 2003). "Forty Years Later, the Magic of JFK Lingers on the Mesa". SDSUniverse. Archived from the original on July 6, 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Commencement Speech at San Diego State". SDSU Library & Information Access. Archived from the original on May 7, 2010.
  10. ^ "President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Commencement Speech at San Diego State". SDSU Library & Information Access. June 16, 2012. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  11. ^ "Aztec Bowl's glory resurfacing". San Diego Union-Tribune. October 2, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  12. ^ "Historic Buildings of San Diego State University". Infodome - SDSU Historic Buildings. San Diego State University. Archived from the original on September 6, 2006. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  13. ^ "Pending (Not Yet Acted Upon) List". National Park Service. April 21, 2012. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  14. ^ "Aztec Bowl - San Diego State University". CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCES INVENTORY DATABASE. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
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