Spratt Stadium

Coordinates: 39°45′43″N 94°47′10″W / 39.762022°N 94.785978°W / 39.762022; -94.785978
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Spratt Memorial Stadium
Map
LocationSt. Joseph, Missouri
OwnerMissouri Western State University
OperatorMissouri Western State University
Capacity10,000
SurfaceArtificial
Opened1979
Tenants
Missouri Western Griffons football (NCAA) (1979–present)

Spratt Memorial Stadium, also known as Craig Field at Spratt Stadium, is a 7,500 seat stadium in

summer training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs
.

History

Spratt opened in 1979. Previously Missouri Western played at municipal owned Noyes Field by Central High School. It is named for Elliot Spratt, an executive with Hillyard, Inc. whose family has donated money for numerous buildings on the campus.

Missouri Western opened stadium with a 44-0 victory over Dana College.

Initial cost was $850,000 Lights were added in 1985.

In 2006 its grass turf was replaced by

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based ProGrass Synthetic Turf Systems[1]

The stadium initially could seat 6,000 but was expanded in 2009 to accommodate 7,500. There is grass seating on an adjoining hill. The biggest crowds are for the

Northwest Missouri-Missouri Western football rivalry including 10,129 in 2009 and 9,207 in 2007[2]

From 1998 to 2007 the stadium hosted the

Edward Jones Dome
in St. Louis with the 11-man championships. Currently, the 8-Man championships are played at the University of Missouri.

In 2018 the Bill Snyder Pavilion was dedicated at the west end of the playing field, in honor of the St. Joseph native and former Kansas State football coach.

Kansas City Chiefs Training Center

Chiefs training camp building adjacent to the school's "MWSU" hillside letters

In 2009 Missouri Western signed a contract for the Kansas City Chiefs to move to the stadium from

I-29 on a former softball field. It includes a full-size indoor football field, a locker room, weight room, training room, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and a lecture hall. It is designed by St. Joseph architect Jeff Ellison of Ellison-Auxier Architects. The Chiefs occupy it three weeks each year and the Griffons access it the rest of the year.[3]

References

  1. ^ prograssturf.com - Retrieved September 29, 2009
  2. ^ Missouri Western Media Guide 2009 - gogriffins.com Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2009-09-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

39°45′43″N 94°47′10″W / 39.762022°N 94.785978°W / 39.762022; -94.785978