Sports venue at San Diego State University (1936–1995)
Viejas Arena, situated in the former Aztec Bowl stadium in 2005 | |
Location | 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., San Diego, California |
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Owner | San Diego State University |
Operator | San Diego State University |
Capacity | 10,000 (1936–1948) 12,592 (1948–1995) |
Surface | Natural grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 1933 |
Opened | October 3, 1936; 88 years ago (1936-10-03) |
Expanded | 1948 |
Closed | March 1995 |
Construction cost | $476,863 ($10.6 million in 2023 ) |
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 | |
U.S. Historic district Contributing property | |
California Historical Landmark No. 798 | |
Coordinates | 32°46′28″N 117°4′29″W / 32.77444°N 117.07472°W / 32.77444; -117.07472 |
Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
Part of | San Diego State College (ID97000924) |
CHISL No. | 798 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | May 19, 1994 (1994-05-19) |
Boundary decrease | September 4, 1997 (1997-09-04) |
Designated CHISL | September 16, 1964 (1964-09-16) |
Removed from NRHP | May 30, 2012 |
Delisted CP | September 4, 1997 |
Aztec Bowl was an outdoor stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU). The stadium was the home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team.
History
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.
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. Then-mayor Pete Wilson's 40th birthday party was held there in 1973.
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. A request was made to remove the stadium from the National Register of Historic Places, and was removed on May 30, 2012.
References
- 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.
- "Alvarado Trunk Sewer. Phase IV Project" (PDF). sandiego.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- "CHL # 798 San Diego State College San Diego".
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- "Asset Detail".
- "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.
- 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.
- "President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Commencement Speech at San Diego State". SDSU Library & Information Access. Archived from the original on May 7, 2010.
- "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.
- "Aztec Bowl's glory resurfacing". San Diego Union-Tribune. October 2, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- "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.
- "Pending (Not Yet Acted Upon) List". National Park Service. April 21, 2012. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
- "Aztec Bowl - San Diego State University". CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCES INVENTORY DATABASE. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
External links
- Aztec Bowl at SDSU Library
- President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Commencement Speech at San Diego State at SDSU Library
San Diego State Aztecs football | |
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Venues |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
Seasons |
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National championship seasons in bold |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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Topics | |
Lists by state |
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Lists by insular areas | |
Lists by associated state | |
Other areas | |
Related | |
- Defunct college football venues
- San Diego State Aztecs football venues
- Sports venues in San Diego
- American football venues in California
- Works Progress Administration in California
- University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in California
- Demolished sports venues in California
- Sports venues completed in 1936
- 1936 establishments in California
- North American Soccer League (1968–1984) stadiums
- National Register of Historic Places in San Diego County, California
- Sports venues on the National Register of Historic Places in California
- Former National Register of Historic Places in California
- Historic district contributing properties in California