DATCU Stadium

DATCU Stadium
A marching band performs on the field of a football stadium.
The Green Brigade Marching Band performing at DATCU Stadium before the Safeway Bowl
DATCU Stadium is located in Texas
DATCU Stadium
DATCU Stadium
Location in Texas
DATCU Stadium is located in the United States
DATCU Stadium
DATCU Stadium
Location in the United States
Former namesMean Green Stadium (planning)
Apogee Stadium (2011–2023)
Location1251 S. Bonnie Brae Street
Denton, Texas 76207
Coordinates33°12′13″N 97°9′34″W / 33.20361°N 97.15944°W / 33.20361; -97.15944
Public transitDowntown Denton Transit Center (shuttle to stadium)[1]
OwnerUniversity of North Texas System
OperatorUniversity of North Texas Athletic Department
Executive suites21[2]
Capacity30,100
Record attendance30,123 vs. University of Houston
September 28, 2019
Field size360 feet (110 m) x 160 feet (49 m)
Acreage46 acres (19 ha)[3]
SurfacePowerBlade HP + artificial turf[4]
Scoreboard47 ft × 27 ft (14.3 m × 8.2 m) (primary)
27 ft × 15 ft (8.2 m × 4.6 m) (secondary)[5]
Construction
Broke groundNovember 21, 2009 (2009-11-21)
Built2009–2011
OpenedSeptember 10, 2011 (2011-09-10)
Construction cost$78 million[6]
($111 million in 2023 dollars[7])
ArchitectHKS, Inc.
Project managerGreg Whittemore[8]
Structural engineerRogers Moore Engineers
Walter P Moore Engineers and Consultants[9]
Services engineerHenneman Engineering
General contractorManhattan Construction Company[10]
Tenants
North Texas Mean Green football (2011–present)
Website
meangreensports.com/facilities/datcu-stadium/4

DATCU Stadium (formerly Apogee Stadium) is a college football stadium located at the north junction of Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W in Denton, Texas. Opened in 2011, it is home to the University of North Texas (UNT) Mean Green football team, which competes in the American Athletic Conference. The facility replaced Fouts Field, where the school's football program had been based since 1952.

The stadium was proposed by the University of North Texas System Board of Regents after the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. Designed by HKS, Inc., it was constructed at a cost of $78 million after a student body election in 2008. It was tentatively named "Mean Green Stadium" prior to ResNet provider Apogee purchasing the naming rights in 2011. DATCU Credit Union (DATCU. formerly Denton Area Teachers Credit Union) subsequently purchased naming rights to the facility prior to the 2023 season. The stadium hosted its first major event on September 10, 2011 when the Mean Green lost 48–23 against the University of Houston Cougars. Official home attendance figures for the team's first six seasons at DATCU Stadium averaged 18,737 per game, which is 60% of its capacity of 30,100.

The facility includes various amenities, including a press box, luxury boxes, and an alumni pavilion. It also uses environmental technology; it is the first newly built stadium to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification.[11] It can be reached by road, but because of limited parking and traffic congestion on game days, many attendees park on the northeast side of Interstate 35E and cross a pedestrian bridge to reach the stadium. Others use public transportation to reach the facility on game days.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference shuttle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference UNT Private Promo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Miralla, Christina (October 10, 2011). "College Football Goes Green". Environmental Protection Online. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  4. ^ Bartolotta, Steven (May 23, 2011). "Green Gang: 50-Yard Line Going In". MeanGreenSports.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  5. ^ Pyke, David (2012). "Mean Green Interactive Athletics Map – Apogee Stadium". University of North Texas Athletic Department. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  6. ^ Gaines, Drew (January 20, 2011). "Stadium Springs to Life". North Texas Daily. University of North Texas. p. 1. OCLC 17435854. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Nation's First LEED Platinum Designation for Collegiate Stadium goes to UNT's Apogee Stadium" (Press release). University of North Texas. UNT News Service. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  9. ^ "University of North Texas Apogee Stadium – Credits". ArchitypeSource.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference manhattan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Allsop, Chris (2012). "Features: Apogee Stadium" (PDF). Green Building & Design. pp. 132–137. Retrieved December 5, 2015.