Bigger Game, Bigger Numbers
19 days to turn the speedway into a football stadium1,500 workers to build and prepare the stadium over the course of two weeks200 workers to clean the stadium after the last race10,600 tons of rock and sand used to build the field’s base100,200 square feet of installed turf space180,000 pounds each of both silica and rubber infill in turf space4,290 linear feet of turf seaming tape used to install the field66 pounds of thread used to sew the field in place21 Guest Services locations will be located throughout the venue3 million ounces of water to serve in stands2.5 million ounces of Pepsi product ordered to serve in stands455,000 16-ounce beers ordered to serve in stands19 law enforcement agencies and contractors will keep the crowd safe240 buses will keep the crowd flowing5,000 seats added to the infield1,000 workers will be on-site on game day
Like many Tennessee Volunteers fans, Robert Arnold, 65, inherited his love of college football from his father. The two followed the Vols’ escapades on the radio through the late 1950s, but it wasn’t until October 1960 that the young Arnold got to see his heroes in action.
They did not disappoint. From his seat in Shields-Watkins Field, now Knoxville’s Neyland Staduim, Arnold and his father watched in awe as the Vols dusted Alabama 20-7.
High off the big win and the energy from the crowd, Arnold left the stadium with stars in his eyes. Eager to see a game at the professional level, the boy looked up at his father and asked, “When are you gonna take me to a big game?”
The man looked down at his son and smiled.