Rice Stadium

Rice Stadium retains the concrete shell that made it famous, but the shape of the bowl has changed enough to alter how the space feels. The northern end zone that once stretched out like a canyon has been removed, and the remaining stands sit closer to the playing surface than they used to. The field itself is flat and green.

The ground opened in 1950 with a capacity of more than seventy thousand seats. The original design by Lloyd & Morgan and the McGinty Partnership allowed spectators to sit close to the action, and the concrete structure has survived decades of weather and renovation. When the capacity was reduced, the end zone was covered with tarps before being demolished entirely, leaving a smaller footprint that does not match the scale of the surrounding concrete. The stadium sits adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, and the view from the highest seats takes in a wide stretch of Houston. The surface is artificial turf, laid down in 2014 after years of natural grass and earlier synthetic versions.

What sets this ground apart from its neighbours is what it has hosted. The opening game against Santa Clara was a local affair, but the stadium soon attracted far bigger crowds. The attendance record was set in 1974, when the Super Bowl brought in more than sixty-eight thousand spectators to watch the Miami Dolphins beat the Minnesota Vikings. Three years earlier, John F. Kennedy spoke to the crowd about the space programme. The stadium also played host to the Houston Oilers of the American Football League and, more recently, the Roughnecks of the United Football League. Concerts have filled the stands, from Pink Floyd to the Texxas Jam festival. A renovation project is planned for 2028, which will cut the capacity further and reshape the interior, but for now the concrete shell remains in place.