Tad Gormley Stadium
Encyclopedia
Tad Gormley Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium, located in City Park, in New Orleans
, Louisiana
, named for Frank "Tad" Gormley. It has been used for football
, track & field, and soccer. It played host to the US Olympic Track & Field Trials for the 1992 Summer Olympics. Its most frequent use is for high school football, which attracts a large following in the South. In recent years, Tulane University
has sometimes played its homecoming
football game at Gormley, to provide a better game-day atmosphere than at their regular home, the Louisiana Superdome
.
The stadium was built in 1937; its original name was City Park Stadium. In the early years of the stadium, fans often packed the stands or stood around the field to watch high school football games. The record for attendance was set in 1940 when 34,345 spectators attended a game between Jesuit and Holy Cross. However, the current maximum listed capacity is 26,500.
The stadium was home to the New Orleans Pelicans
, after the closing of old Pelican Stadium
.
The stadium has hosted concerts by many famous artists, including The Beatles
, Pearl Jam
, Journey
& Rage Against the Machine
, among others.
Hurricane Katrina
, in 2005, flooded the stadium, which remained structurally sound. The stadium required major work to the electrical system and the field. After Reggie Bush
was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
, he donated over $80,000 to repair Katrina-induced damage to the field, so that area high school football teams had a place to compete. In acknowledgement of Bush's generosity, Tad Gormley's playing field is recognized as Reggie Bush Field.
The first event held at the newly-renovated Tad Gormley Stadium was an LHSAA prep-football game on September 21, 2006 pitting the Brother Martin Crusaders
against the Higgins Hurricanes.
Since 2008, Tad Gormley Stadium has hosted the revived University of New Orleans
Privateers club football program.
In 2009, the grass surface at Tad Gormley Stadium was replaced with GameDay Grass MT from AstroTurf.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, named for Frank "Tad" Gormley. It has been used for football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, track & field, and soccer. It played host to the US Olympic Track & Field Trials for the 1992 Summer Olympics. Its most frequent use is for high school football, which attracts a large following in the South. In recent years, Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
has sometimes played its homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
football game at Gormley, to provide a better game-day atmosphere than at their regular home, the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
.
The stadium was built in 1937; its original name was City Park Stadium. In the early years of the stadium, fans often packed the stands or stood around the field to watch high school football games. The record for attendance was set in 1940 when 34,345 spectators attended a game between Jesuit and Holy Cross. However, the current maximum listed capacity is 26,500.
The stadium was home to the New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
, after the closing of old Pelican Stadium
Pelican Stadium
Pelican Stadium, also known as Heinemann Park, was a sports stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, most notably used by the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team from 1915 through 1957....
.
The stadium has hosted concerts by many famous artists, including The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
& Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, among others.
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, in 2005, flooded the stadium, which remained structurally sound. The stadium required major work to the electrical system and the field. After Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, he donated over $80,000 to repair Katrina-induced damage to the field, so that area high school football teams had a place to compete. In acknowledgement of Bush's generosity, Tad Gormley's playing field is recognized as Reggie Bush Field.
The first event held at the newly-renovated Tad Gormley Stadium was an LHSAA prep-football game on September 21, 2006 pitting the Brother Martin Crusaders
Brother Martin High School
Brother Martin High School is an all-male, Catholic, university preparatory school located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. It was established in 1869 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, establishing the school as St. Aloysius College...
against the Higgins Hurricanes.
Since 2008, Tad Gormley Stadium has hosted the revived University of New Orleans
University of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans, often referred to locally as UNO, is a medium-sized public urban university located on the New Orleans Lakefront within New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 association. Currently UNO is without a proper chancellor...
Privateers club football program.
In 2009, the grass surface at Tad Gormley Stadium was replaced with GameDay Grass MT from AstroTurf.