A new era at Western Colorado University will start on September 7 with the Grand Opening of the newly renovated Mountaineer Bowl at The Rady Family Sports Complex.
Schedule for Saturday, Sept 7
12:00 pm – Stadium tours
2:00 pm – Tailgate
4:00 pm – Ribbon cutting
4:30 pm – Gates open
6:00 pm – Kickoff vs Midwestern State
Mountaineer Bowl is the world’s highest collegiate stadium and plays an important part in life on Western’s campus. In addition to hosting football games and track and field meets, it’s where students start and end their academic journeys at the University, as the site of both Freshman Orientation and Commencement. But the stadium hadn’t seen a major renovation since it first opened for Homecoming in 1948.
Thanks to the generous support of Paul (’78) and Katy Rady, the University broke ground in the summer of 2022 on a project that transformed Mountaineer Bowl from a modest venue into a top-tier facility.
Fans will now enter through the stadium’s new 20,000-square-foot gateway, which includes a new ticket office, locker and training rooms, officials’ locker room, restrooms, and a retail shop. Inside the Bowl, in addition to a new artificial turf playing surface, state-of-the-art track and field facilities and a new, expanded scoreboard, the stadium now has a 10,000-square-foot press box, complete with a scorekeeper’s box, coaches’ boxes, broadcast booths, hospitality suites and a concession concourse.
“Mountaineer Bowl is more than just a stadium—it’s a symbol of the Western community’s collective spirit and the achievements of our students,” Western’s President Brad Baca said. “This renovation represents a significant investment in our future, and I’m so grateful for the continued generosity of the Rady family and their vision for The Rady Family Sports Complex.”
The new stadium and the adjacent soccer facilities were made possible through the generosity of Paul and Katy Rady. Their vision and significant investment made The Rady Family Sports Complex, where Mountaineer Bowl and Katy O. Rady Field are located, a reality.
“Mountaineer Bowl has always had the best views in the country. Now, we have the most amazing facilities to match the stunning backdrop,” Western Athletic Director Miles Van Hee said. “This project to create a championship-caliber facility has been a top priority for the University and our athletic department for years. Thanks to Paul and Katy’s commitment and the support of other generous Mountaineers, the long-awaited dream of a true Division II stadium at The Rady Family Sports Complex is now a reality. Our student-athletes deserve nothing less than the best, and this renovation solidifies Mountaineer Bowl as one of the premier stadiums in the conference.”
Coming off a successful 10-2 season that included a playoff berth, the Mountaineer football team is looking forward to taking the field in the new stadium. “This renovation is a game-changer for us. It’s one of the best facilities in the RMAC, in a premier location,” head football coach Jas Bains said. “The new facilities provide our athletes with a state-of-the-art stadium in which they can be proud to compete at a high level. We can’t wait to welcome our fans to the new Mountaineer Bowl. It is absolutely breathtaking.”
The Grand Opening ceremony will start at noon on Saturday, September 7, with tours of the renovated facilities, a tailgate party, and festivities followed by a ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. The event is open to the public, and all are invited to be a part of this exciting new chapter in Mountaineer history.
For more information about the grand opening and the renovation project, visit gomountaineers.com.
Author Credit: Seth Mensing
Photo Credit: Kate Wasson
