Fifty years ago, the first shovels of dirt were turned for what is now Hardy M. Graham Stadium at UTM.
Next year, the half-century-old facility is scheduled for a serious facelift.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, 1963, a groundbreaking ceremony for a new, modern stadium was held during halftime of the Homecoming Game between then-UTMB (University of Tennessee Martin Branch) and Livingston State, according to an article in the Oct. 15, 1963, Volette student newspaper, now known as The Pacer.
The new stadium was built on the west side of the playing field that had been used since 1930, when UTMB was UT Junior College. When that field was built just north of what is now the UTM Student Life Center, it featured a cinder track and one of the first lighted stadium areas in West Tennessee, according to author Bob Carroll in his book The University of Tennessee at Martin: The First One Hundred Years.
The new stadium, built entirely with private funds of $150,000, was completed in 1964 and dedicated at the first home game.
“It was necessary to acquire private funds to build the stadium since the University of Tennessee liked to brag that no state funds had been used to build the stadium at Knoxville, and Martin was expected to follow suit,” Carroll wrote.
The stadium was officially named in 2001 in honor of Hardy M. Graham, a longtime donor whose financial contributions to UTM exceeded $1 million in 40 years of giving, according to utmsports.com.
In 1974, the playing field was named H.K. Grantham field in honor of H. Kirk Grantham, a well-known coach and athletics director from the early days of UTJC. Until 2008, when the natural grass field was replaced with Field Turf, an artificial surface, the stadium had been expanded some but the field essentially was the same as it had been since 1930.
The next phase of Graham Stadium’s history will begin in December 2014, the scheduled date for the stadium’s overhaul to begin.
“The renovation being planned will be a major boost for our students, athletes, faculty, staff and community partners who enjoy football and a range of other events that will be served in this multipurpose structure,” said UTM Chancellor Tom Rakes in a Sports Information press release from Sept. 27.
The stadium construction was approved by the UT Board of Trustees in June and initially was scheduled to begin this year, according to the press release.
“We all want to see this project move forward as quickly as possible, but, given all the limitations and recent planning developments, this delay makes sense to me,” UTM Athletics Director Phil Dane said.
The stadium project should be completed in time for the beginning of the 2015 Skyhawk football season. UTM’s home opener is tentatively set for Sept. 19, 2015, against Central Arkansas.
The overhaul of Graham Stadium will transform the venue into one of the finest Football Championship Subdivision facilities in the nation and will meet all requirements to allow UTM to host a playoff game, according to the press release.
As for plans for the new stadium, the entire west side of the stadium will be replaced with new bleacher seating and a four-story building that will total about 21,000 square feet. The building will stretch 50 yards, from 25-yard line to 25-yard line. Included in the building is a floor level that will include a renovated visiting locker room, referee locker rooms and a concession stand, among other game management space.
The new bleacher seating will extend closer to the field (directly behind UTM’s bench), eliminating the current walkway. The entrance to each seat will now be located through tunnels from the back side of the bleachers.
The second level will be used by the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The area will include a hospitality and event management program operated through the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. The area will also serve as an academic support function throughout the calendar school year.
The club level is located on the third floor. On football game days, the 2,637- square-foot area will house donors, offering a unique perspective of the game while in the climate-controlled suite. This level also includes the Chancellor’s box and will also serve as a fresh location for banquets.
The fourth tier of the building is a state-of-the-art press box facility. This floor includes nine spots designated for use by the visiting athletics director, visiting radio and coaching staff, television production, print media/sports information staff, public address/scoreboard operator, home coaching staff, home radio and WUTM radio. The area will have a working media area (711 square feet) that can seat up to 28 people, more than double what the current press box holds.
