Memorial Stadium (Clemson)

Frank Howard Field at Clemson Memorial Stadium, popularly known as "Death Valley", is home to the Clemson Tigers, an NCAA Division I FBS football team, located in Clemson, South Carolina. Built in 1941–1942, the stadium has seen expansions throughout the years, with the most recent being the WestZone, which began in 2004 and was completed in 2006.Prior to the completion of Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, Memorial Stadium served as the venue for home games of the Carolina Panthers NFL team, for the team's inaugural 1995 season.Currently, the stadium is the largest in the Atlantic Coast Conference.HistoryConstructionThe stadium was constructed against the wishes of the late and former Clemson Head Coach Jess Neely. Just before leaving for Rice University after the 1939 season, he told Frank Howard, "Don't ever let them talk you into building a big stadium. Put about 10,000 seats behind the YMCA. That's all you'll ever need." Despite this, the University decided it was time to build a stadium. They chose to build in the valley in the western part of campus. On April 3, 1941, the South Carolina General Assembly ratified an act authorizing a $150,000 bond issue for the new stadium, and the bill went to Governor Burnet R. Maybank for signature. The original 20,500 seat stadium—the lower half of the current facility's south grandstand—was constructed for $125,000 or $6.25 a seat. The stadium was designed by Carl Lee of Charlotte, N.C., a Clemson graduate, Class of 1908, and Professor H. E. Glenn of the engineering faculty. On September 19, 1942, Memorial Stadium was opened with a 32-13 victory over Presbyterian College. Much of the early construction of the stadium was done by scholarship athletes. In fact, the first staking out of the stadium was done by A. N. Cameron and Hugh Webb, two members of the football team.