SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Today may be North Dakota State's last regular season visit to Alex G. Spanos Stadium, at least in the foreseeable future. It's as if California Poly is throwing a big going-away party.
An expected record crowd is expected for the 6:05 p.m. (CST) kickoff between the No. 1-ranked Bison and their Great West Football Conference foe. NDSU is leaving the league after this season. Capacity is 11,075, but more are expected to cram the intimate setting.
A $21.5 million renovation project greeted the Poly football team this year and the transformation is striking. A new facility of stands, suites and press box has turned an embarrassing stadium into a serviceable Division I field.
"It's changed the experience of going to a game," said Cal Poly athletic director Alison Cone. "You feel like you're part of something big time."
The back of the new seats were built over California Avenue, a main thoroughfare lined with palm trees that runs through campus. Efforts to close the road failed, so architects designed the bleachers to cover the road creating a tunnel-like effect.
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Head football coach Rich Ellerson said he would have liked to have seen more seats.
"But we have ourselves quite a gig," he said Friday.
Spanos, the owner of the San Diego Chargers, donated $8 million to the project. He was a student at Cal Poly but never graduated there.
Cone said she's not sure how long the project has been in the works - "Twenty years?" she said with a laugh - but the bulk of the work has come in the last five or six years.
The locals say the season-opening crowd against Weber State was one of the most enthusiastic they've even seen at a Mustang game. It will most likely be that way again today. Homecoming is always a big deal in San Luis Obispo.
"These guys know it's a big game," Ellerson said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546.
Kolpack's NDSU media blog can be found at www.areavoices.com Bison playing in Cal Poly's $21.5M renovated stadium Jeff Kolpack 20071110
