Dolese produced and delivered several hundred thousand concrete structural blocks and over 50,000 cubic yards of concrete to help create this state-of-the-art facility that has been called one of the finest college football venues in the country.
LEWIS FIELD...
Home to the Oklahoma State University Cowboys football team beginning in 1913, Lewis Field was the oldest football stadium in the Big 12 Conference – even though it didn't get an actual stadium until 1920.
Over the next eight decades, the structure was largely neglected until the Cowboys enjoyed their 2001 victory over the OU Sooners. We're not picking sides, but we agreed it was time for an update.
In the following 2002 Houston Bowl season, the spark from the previous season's victory caught fire, and fundraising began for major renovations to Lewis Field. Dubbed "The Next Level," the project became the flagship effort of OSU's athletic department.
...TO BOONE PICKENS STADIUM
In 2003, the stadium was renamed "Boone Pickens Stadium" to honor OSU alumnus, Texas oilman and entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens – who donated $165,000,000 to the university. It was and is the largest single donation to any higher education institution in American history.
Pickens' vision was an "athletic village" for the campus, and his dream is still taking shape. The donation has resulted in new soccer, track, and tennis facilities, a new equestrian center, a new baseball stadium, new outdoor practice fields, a multi-purpose indoor practice complex, and – of course – the Boone Pickens Stadium.
Dolese produced and delivered more than 350,000 concrete blocks for the project – most of them colored architectural blocks – as well as more than 50,000 cubic yards of concrete to help create what has been called "one of the finest college football venues in the country." We're proud that Dolese's material permeates every part of this tribute to health and sport.
TRIVIA
Though the stadium is named for its generous donor, the Cowboys still play on Lewis Field – the actual playing surface kept its original name.
"It's how we've done it for more than a hundred years. And how we intend to do it for a hundred more."
