Cessna Stadium in Kansas to be torn down

Article posted by Coliseum, May 7^th, 2020

Image: Wichita State Athletics

Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas in US, has been given the thumbs-up to knock down its 74-year-old Cessna Stadium.

Wichita State University is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The varsity offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in six colleges.

Cessna Stadium is a 24,000-seat stadium in Wichita, Kansas, United States. Cessna is currently the home of the Shocker track and field team. Before the Wichita State University football program was discontinued, the Shocker football team played home games at this stadium.

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The Kansas Board of Regents gave its stamp of approval to a request from Wichita State University to pull down the 24,000-seat venue.

The Kansas Board of Regents is a body consisting of nine members that governs six State universities in the US State of Kansas. In addition to these six universities, it also supervises and coordinates 19 community colleges, five technical colleges, six technical schools and a municipal university.

Cessna Stadium is home to Wichita State track and field and the annual Kansas State High School Track and Field Championship. The venue was redecorated in 1969 as a football and track facility.

Wichita State maintains that the venue has almost become dilapidated and poses potential safety risk even though $100,000 has recently been infused in steel safety repairs.

Remarked Wichita State Athletics Director Darron Boatright, “Seeking permission from the Kansas Board of Regents is the first step in any process as a State institution. We believe demolition is the best course of action when and if funding sources are identified. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Kansas State High Schools Activities Association (KSHAA) and hosting the State track meet as well as track and field meets for our program.”

The university is considering pulling down the stadium in two phases. Phase 1 would include the east stands. Phase 2 will include the west stands and press box. This would not come in the way of track activities and would allow it to continue until a new, smaller multiuse stadium is built on the site.

The stadium will be used to stage both men’s and women’s athletics and would give a shot in the arm to the economy and empower the community in which it resides by supporting soccer, lacrosse, and track and field events for both Wichita State University as well as K-12 aged tournaments from around the Midwest/Southwest in association with regional clubs. The track will remain.

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