Kelly/Shorts Stadium

{{Short description|Football stadium in Mount Pleasant, Michigan}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium

| image = File:Kelly Shorts Stadium.jpg

| caption = Kelly/Shorts Stadium, 2012

| location = 2300 East Campus Drive
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

| coordinates = {{coord|43|34|39|N|84|46|15|W|type:landmark|display=it}}

| pushpin_map = Michigan#United States

| pushpin_relief = 1

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Michigan##Location in the United States

| broke_ground = September, 1971

| built =

| opened = November 4, 1972

| expanded = 1998

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Central Michigan University

| operator = Central Michigan University

| surface = FieldTurf (2004–present)
Astroturf (1972–2003)

| construction_cost = $2.2 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|2200000|1972}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})

| architect = Hobbs+Black

| former_names = Perry Shorts Stadium (1972–1982)
Kelly/Shorts Stadium (1983-2022)

| tenants = Central Michigan Chippewas football (NCAA) (1972–present)

| seating_capacity = 35,127 (2012–present)
30,199 (1998–2006)
20,000 (1972–1997)

| record_attendance = 35,127 (v. Michigan State University September 8, 2012)

}}

Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium is an American football stadium in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It serves as the home field for the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The stadium opened in 1972 and holds 35,127{{citation |title=Football Facilities|url=http://www.cmuchippewas.com/facilities/football-facilities.html|access-date=October 22, 2015}} spectators, making it the largest on-campus stadium in the Mid-American Conference. It is located on the southeast part of campus, along with most of the other athletic facilities.{{citation|title=Kelly/Shorts Stadium|url=http://www.cmich.edu/about/locations_maps/CampusMap/SoutheastCampus/Pages/KellyShorts_Stadium.aspx|access-date=September 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615130106/http://www.cmich.edu/about/locations_maps/CampusMap/SoutheastCampus/Pages/KellyShorts_Stadium.aspx|archive-date=June 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{citation|title=Kelly/Shorts Stadium|url=http://www.cmuchippewas.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10500&ATCLID=205723300|access-date=September 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908023713/http://www.cmuchippewas.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10500&ATCLID=205723300|archive-date=September 8, 2013|url-status=dead}} The playing surface is named Kramer/Deromedi Field after former coaches Roy Kramer and Herb Deromedi.{{Cite web |last=Chase |first=Sean |date=2022-12-05 |title=CMU to name football field after former coaches Kramer, Deromedi |url=https://www.cm-life.com/article/2022/08/central-michigan-football-to-name-field-of-kelly-shorts-stadium-in-honor-of-kramer-and-deromedi |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=www.cm-life.com}}

History

The stadium was originally named Perry Shorts Stadium in honor of R. Perry Shorts, a Saginaw banker who was a 1900 graduate and a generous donor. The stadium, which originally seated approximately 20,000 spectators, was dedicated on November 4, 1972, when the Chippewas defeated Illinois State University, 28–21, before a Homecoming crowd of nearly 17,000.{{citation|title=Great Games in CMU History |url=http://www.cmuchippewas.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46371&SPID=4199&DB_OEM_ID=10500&ATCLID=204954360 |access-date=January 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314154249/http://www.cmuchippewas.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46371&SPID=4199&DB_OEM_ID=10500&ATCLID=204954360 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 }} In June 1983, CMU's board of trustees voted to rename the facility Kelly/Shorts Stadium in honor of Kenneth "Bill" Kelly, who coached the Chippewa football team to a 91–58–2 record from 1951 to 1966.

=Renovations=

A $28 million expansion project following the 1997 season added 10,000 seats to the stadium, increasing its capacity to 30,199. A two-tiered press box, locker room, and nine guest suites also were included in the expansion project. The original artificial turf, the first to be used in the state of Michigan, has been replaced three times, most recently in 2016 when it was changed from Astroturf to FieldTurf. Permanent lights were installed before the 2006 season, making it the last stadium in the Mid-American Conference to do so.{{citation|title=Kelly/Shorts Stadium to Receive Lights|url=http://centralmichigan.scout.com/2/502438.html|access-date=September 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120230840/http://centralmichigan.scout.com/2/502438.html|archive-date=November 20, 2008|url-status=dead}}

Features

CMU's locker room, training room and equipment room are located in the stadium's north end zone, and the locker room is connected to the Indoor Athletic Complex (IAC) via a tunnel. The IAC houses the Dick Enberg Academic Center, coaches' offices, weight room, meeting rooms, CMU's Hall of Champions and indoor practice field with a wall-to-wall FieldTurf surface.