By Nicole Hutchinson
Fresh off its return to the top of black college football, Grambling State is giving its home stadium a face-lift.
Grambling State is putting together a multi-million renovation project for the Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium, the school announced on Thursday. The project will include a field turf overhaul and the installation of a digital scoreboard. It is slated to cost between $1.5 to $2 million and will be completed before mid-August; just before the first game against Tulane University in New Orleans on September 2 and first home game on September 9.
“I haven’t been here long, but I’ve heard loud and clear from our alumni, students and all kinds of GSU fans and stakeholders that this is long overdue,” athletic director Paul Bryant, who arrived in January, said. “There’s no time like the present, and it’s time to make this happen.”
The 19,600-seat stadium first replaced the old Grambling Stadium in 1983. The stadium, nicknamed “The Hole,” replaced a peach orchard and contractors dug a lot of dirt in order to accommodate the football field.
Along with the stadium enhancements, Grambling announced it will add a fourth home game, which has been desired for years. The Red River Classic in Shreveport this fall against Texas Southern University will be played at home on Oct. 28 and now Grambling’s homecoming game.
The homecoming game was originally slated for Oct. 21 against Alcorn State, leaving many alumni upset as their non-refundable hotel rooms will not accommodate their homecoming plans.
“In 1983 when the stadium opened it was the only one of it’s kind,” said GSU President Rick Gallot. “Now, in 2017, it’s the only one of its kind – and our championship football team deserves a championship stadium.”
The Tigers went 11-1 last season, claiming the SWAC championship. winning the Celebration Bowl and being named Black College Football National Champs. Head coach Lee Fobbs, a former Grambling player who played at Robinson Stadium before coaching there is happy with the upgrades..
“This is huge for this team. This team has been through some tough times and they have stayed focused and brought home a national championship last year,” Fobbs said. “This says a lot about how this administration views football and all of athletics, and we can’t wait to play on a state-of-the-art football field with a state-of-the-art scoreboard. Our guys are going to love it.”
https://hbcugameday.com/
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Monday, May 8th 2017 at 9:27AM
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