TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As Arizona gets set to kickoff a new football season, Wildcat fans will soon enjoy new features at Casino Del Sol Stadium — a stadium with nearly 100 years of history behind it.
"It was just kind of stands on either side and that was it," U of A alum Eric Cohen said, describing Arizona Stadium when it first opened in 1929.
Cohen is co-host of the popular Wildcat Country podcast with fellow U of A grad Shane Dale. Cohen has missed just a handful of games over the past 30 years.
He has only known Arizona Stadium with an upper deck on its east side.
"I can't imagine what it looked like in person without that there," Cohen said.
Obviously, it looked much smaller when it opened on October 12, 1929.
Designed by well-known Tucson architect Roy Place, the 7,000 seat stadium coast $166,888. U of A alumni paid for most of it.
Arizona shut out Caltech 35–0 that day. This new stadium opened just three years after the tragic death of star quarterback John "Button" Salmon.
"It's a sad story, it's an inspirational story for (Salmon), telling "Pop" McKale, 'Tell them, tell the team to Bear Down,'" explained Cohen. "A lot of people that aren't Arizona people don't understand what Bear Down actually is."
Today, the "Button" Salmon statue sits outside the north end zone of the stadium. Players and fans often touch the statue ahead of each game.
"Every time I go to Arizona Stadium, I walk in purposely where I can put my hand on the statue, just kind of as a good luck charm thing," said Cohen.
Arizona Stadium's first major upgrade came in 1950. Seats were added to the south end zone, increasing capacity to 8,700.
The largest expansion happened 50 years ago, in 1976, with the addition of a second tier on the east side. That pushed the total capacity past 56,000.
An overflow crowd of more than 58,000 were treated to a Territorial Cup game to remember.
Chuck Cecil's interception return for a touchdown in the 1986 Territorial Cup Game helped the Wildcats knock off the Sun Devils. It kept ASU from going to the Rose Bowl.
"The Chuck Cecil interception is the greatest play in Arizona Stadium history," Cohen said.
The last major upgrade to Arizona Stadium came in 2013, with the north end zone finally closed in as part of the $72 million football facility.
Fast forward to today, and the stadium goes by a different name: Casino Del Sol Stadium. The naming rights deal is worth more than $60 million over 20 years.
New for the 2026 season, a seating area called the Cat's Corner with four seats in a club atmosphere next to the Zona Zoo. Plus, brand new lights and an upgraded sound system.
"Louder, better and clearer," said Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois. "We recognize that we're in the memory-making business. We can't control everything that goes on on the field, but we want to make sure the people have driveway-to-driveway an incredible experience."
That experience is amplified by winning. And winning helps to fill Arizona Stadium.
"When Arizona Stadium is full, and when it's loud and raucous, there's nothing like it," said Cohen. "It's such a feeling. I feel like those times are few and far between, but that is what I love about going to Arizona Football games."
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
