Moye Complex
Map
Full nameTony and Nancy Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex (complex) Five Star Stadium (stadium)[1]
Location1501 Mercer University Dr
Macon, GA 31207
OwnerMercer University
OperatorMercer University
Capacity10,200
Record attendance12,542 (September 1, 2016 vs. The Citadel
SurfaceAstroTurf 3D Extreme
Construction
Broke groundNovember 12, 2011
OpenedAugust 31, 2013[2]
Construction cost$14 million
ArchitectMcMillan-Pazdan-Smith
General contractorChris R. Sheridan & Co.
Tenants
Mercer Bears football team
Mercer Bears men's lacrosse team
Homer and Ruth Drake Field House
Moye Complex (under construction, view from the Homer and Ruth Drake Field House)

The Tony and Nancy Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex (also known as Moye Complex, the stadium itself is officially named Five Star Stadium) is a 10,200 seat football and lacrosse stadium on the campus of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, United States.[3][4] Construction began on November 12, 2011 and was completed in 2013; the AstroTurf 3D Extreme surface was completed in 2012, the football team conducted its first practice in the stadium on August 27, 2012.[5][6] The university initially announced the complex would have 6,000 seats; the number was increased to 10,200 in 2012.[7] The first football game at Moye Complex was on August 31, 2013; Mercer defeated Reinhardt University in front of an overflow crowd of 12,172 spectators.[8][9]

The sports complex has the following components: the Homer and Ruth Drake Field House, the William H. Anderson II Family Field, the Marshall and Jane Butler Family Plaza, and the Tony and Nancy Moye Family Football and Lacrosse Complex. Messrs. Drake, Anderson, Butler, and Moye are university trustees and were major donors towards the stadium.

On February 26, 2015, the stadium portion of the complex was named Five Star Stadium in recognition of a multimillion-dollar financial commitment to Mercer athletics by Five Star Automotive Group, which owns dealerships in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.[10] The president of Five Star Automotive Group, Charlie Cantrell, is also president of the Mercer Athletic Foundation.

The complex is located adjacent to Mercer's other athletic facilities including Hawkins Arena (basketball and athletic department offices), Claude Smith Field (baseball), and Sikes Field (softball). There is a 101-room Hilton Garden Inn on university-owned land adjacent to the complex. Parking lots are available for visitors-spectators arriving via the Mercer University Drive exit off of Interstate 75.

Mercer has an NCAA Division I athletic program and fields teams in eight men's and ten women's sports; all university-sponsored sports compete in the Southern Conference except women's lacrosse and women's sand volleyball, which are not sponsored by the SoCon, and thus compete in the ASUN Conference.[11][12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Five Star Stadium".
  2. ^ "Football Ticket Office to Release Berm Seating Monday Morning". Mercer Athletics. August 14, 2013. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  3. ^ "Mercer : Mercer Unveils Plans, Breaks Ground for Football/Lacrosse Complex". Archived from the original on 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  4. ^ Shirley, Daniel (November 12, 2011). "Mercer Officially Breaks Ground on Stadium". The Telegraph (Macon). Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  5. ^ Shirley, Daniel (July 31, 2012). "Mercer Complex Nearing Final Stages". The Telegraph (Macon). Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  6. ^ Shirley, Daniel (August 27, 2012). "Mercer Hits the Football Practice". The Telegraph (Macon). Retrieved August 27, 2012.[dead link]
  7. ^ Lough, Michael A. (September 17, 2012). "Mercer's Lamb Enjoying Friday Nights". The Telegraph (Macon). Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  8. ^ Shirley, Daniel (September 5, 2012). "Mercer to Host Reinhardt in 2013 Opener". The Telegraph (Macon). Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  9. ^ Lough, Michael A. (September 1, 2013). "Mercer Makes History with First Victory". The Telegraph (Macon). Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  10. ^ Daniel Shirley, "Mercer football/lacrosse stadium renamed following major donation" Archived 2015-02-27 at the Wayback Machine, ‘’The Telegraph’’, February 26, 2015
  11. ^ "Mercer University Accepts Invitation to Join the Southern Conference". 30 May 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Dawn of a New Era: Mercer Joins Southern Conference". July 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
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