Manhattan tops out UNT Football Stadium project
Denton, Texas – Manhattan Construction Co. has “topped out” the construction of the new University of North Texas (UNT) football stadium in Denton, Texas. A “topping out” is celebrated when the highest point of the construction project is reached and the final, upper most piece of steel is put in place. The construction crew at UNT’s new football stadium hoisted up the last steel beam to the roof of the structure’s press box. The event celebration took place on October 15th.
The new stadium will host UNT events and serve as a venue for community events, outdoor concerts, high school games and band competitions for the entire North Texas Region. The project is targeting U.S. Green Building Council LEED® Gold Certification for this project.
The project is scheduled to complete in time for the 2011 football season. UNT’s Mean Green Football Stadium will be constructed with the capability to expand the stadium seating from 30,000 to 50,000 seats.
The stadium design includes:
- 760-seat club level
- Touchdown Terrace and increased tailgating space
- Bowl seating close to the field
- First-class concession areas
- State-of-the-art video and sound systems throughout the concourse
- Dramatic player pavilion at the south end zone where players will run onto the field
- A full-service club level with comfortable indoor and outdoor seating
- Luxurious private suites
- North grand stand will resemble the tail features of an eagle
Origin of the name, “Mean Green”
The name “Mean Green,” still in use after 43 years, was adopted by fans and media in 1966 for a North Texas football defensive squad, Joe Greene who finished the season second in the nation against the rush. That school year, “Mean Joe Greene” was a sophomore at North Texas and played left tackle on the football team. As of 2010, Greene is the only football player from UNT to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.