Spartan Municipal Stadium, formerly known as Universal Stadium, is a

stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...

Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, Ohio, Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky and just east of the mouth of th ...

. It hosted the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

's Portsmouth Spartans (now the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

) from 1930 to 1933, as well as local high school teams. The stadium held 8,200 people at its peak and was built in 1928. In 1970, it was renamed Spartan Municipal Stadium. On October 5, 2003, the stadium was designated as a state historical site. The stadium is owned by Shawnee State University. After a fire in the 1990s, the city replaced walls and the press box. The lighting was upgraded using funds from a USDA grant. Several years ago, the city began limiting stadium use to only regular football games to help preserve the sod. In the past, both

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

and Notre Dame High School football teams have played at the facility. The city wanted to sell the stadium to the Portsmouth City School District for one dollar, but the district turned down the offer as they received $10 million from a local foundation to construct their own athletic complex next to the new city school complex. Notre Dame High School intends to remain at Spartan Stadium. The city has discussed demolishing the stadium for future development but local residents have expressed the need to preserve the historical site. Spartan Municipal Stadium was recently identified through Portsmouth's participation in the America's Best Communities competition as an invaluable asset for the development of Portsmouth's riverfront area. In September 2017, Dr. Sean Dunne, a Sociology professor at Shawnee State University, submitted an application to State Farm's Neighborhood Assist Program for $25,000 to help renovate the stadium. In October 2017, it was announced that the application had advanced to the final round of 200 applications. After ten days of online voting, the grant was selected as one of 40 projects to win $25,000. The money has been used to begin the process of renovation at the stadium, with further renovation work to follow. In July 2024, Portsmouth City Council voted to transfer Spartan Municipal Stadium and the surrounding land to Shawnee State University. The university intends to renovate the stadium as a community asset.

References

Spartan Municipal Stadium up for $25k grant — Community votes needed to secure funding - Portsmouth Daily TimesStadium renovation project wins $25k - Portsmouth Daily TimesStadium renovation plans announced - Portsmouth Daily Times

External links

* ttp://www.portsmouthspartans.org/ Portsmouth Spartans Historical Societybr>Scioto Historical's "Spartan Municipal Stadium & NFL Football in Portsmouth, Ohio."
{{coord, 38, 43, 43, N, 82, 58, 42, W, display=title American football venues in Ohio Sports venues completed in 1930 1930 establishments in Ohio Defunct NFL venues Detroit Lions stadiums Buildings and structures in Scioto County, Ohio Portsmouth, Ohio High school football venues in Ohio Tourist attractions in Scioto County, Ohio