Citizens of Ogden, including representatives of the American Legion and Elks organizations, incorporated a committee in April 1928 to coordinate construction of a stadium.[2] In February 1929, cost was estimated at $65,000.[3] The following month, the City of Ogden agreed to support the effort, along with Weber Junior College and local school boards.[4] The stadium was initially scheduled to open in the fall of 1929, with a college football game between the BYU Cougars and the Agricultural College of Utah (now the Utah State Aggies).[5] In August, $75,000 was raised via bond sales, with the first game moved back, expected to feature Weber Junior College and the McKinley School of Honolulu in late October.[6] In mid-October, during the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the city effectively took over the stadium effort by creating a stadium board and agreeing to finance construction.[7]
Construction of the stadium began on June 9, 1930,[8] was completed during the summer of 1930, and the stadium was first used on August 15, for a fireworks show and big bands to celebrate the start of an athletics meet sponsored by the Union Pacific Railroad.[9][10] Lighting was in place weeks later, as the Utah State freshman squad defeated Weber Junior College in a night game on October 10.[11]
