University of Idaho - Campus - ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center

ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center

UI's multi-purpose "Kibbie Dome" is the home to Vandal athletics; it is the venue for football, basketball, tennis, and indoor track & field. Its Trus-Dek roof system, constructed in 1975, uses natural wood arches to span 400 feet (122 m) at a height of 150 feet (46 m) over the field's hashmarks. Built when Idaho was a member of the Big Sky Conference, the Kibbie Dome is the smallest stadium (as of December 2010) in Division I FBS football.

Previously on this site was Neale Stadium, which opened in 1937 as an earthen horseshoe with wooden sideline grandstands. After 32 seasons, its bleachers were condemned for structural inadequacies due to erosion in the summer of 1969. After an idle 1969 football season, it was destroyed (by suspected arson) on November 22, 1969. After two years away at nearby Rogers Field in Pullman, the new outdoor "Idaho Stadium" opened on October 9, 1971, with concrete grandstands; the 1971 Vandals responded with a victory over Idaho State, an 8-3 season, and the Big Sky title.

Tartan Turf, similar to AstroTurf, was installed in 1972 with the roll-up mechanism; the arched roof and vertical end-walls were completed in time for the 1975 football home opener on September 27, enclosing the stadium to become the Kibbie Dome. The seating capacity is 16,000 for football games, 7,000 for basketball games (in a configuration known as the "Cowan Spectrum" since 2001), and 7,500 for concerts. Its innovative roof won the Outstanding Structural Engineering Achievement award from the ASCE in 1976.

The original Tartan Turf was replaced with AstroTurf in 1990 and lasted until 2007, when it was replaced with "Real Grass Pro," an infilled synthetic turf (similar to FieldTurf). In 2009, the Kibbie Dome began a multi-phase renovation with millions of dollars of improvements, primarily for safety. The primary change was the entire west wall; its aged dry plywood panels were replaced with non-flammable translucent plastic (upper) and opaque aluminum (lower). New field-level exits were also installed. The east wall was replaced in 2011 and a new press box was built above the north grandstand; the former press box area above the south grandstand was converted to premium seating (Litehouse Center).