Victoria Gonzalez | Vaquero Radio
Previously known as H-E-B Park to now the UTRGV Stadium, college football officially has a new home and made its mark down in the Rio Grande Valley.
Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque announced that UTRGV now owns the stadium and is excited to bring Division 1 football to Edinburg during a news conference Wednesday.
From 2017 to 2023, H-E-B Park was known as the home of the RGV FC Toros until the organization ended all operations Dec. 18.
With the capacity of almost 10,000 and 20 acres of festival grounds, the stadium also offers a 43-foot by 24-foot LED video board, 30 luxury and eight patio suites, and an amphitheater holding an additional 2,500 people.
Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr., who also attended the news conference, discussed the impact this facility will have.
“We’re talking about an economic boost to our city and our region,” Garza said. “Over one hundred million in economic impact here to our city and to our region.”
During the news conference, President of UTRGV Guy Bailey reminisced on the university’s history leading up to the football program.
“Aug. 30, 2015, we opened the doors to UTRGV,” Bailey said. “Think about that. But think forward to Aug. 30, 2025, 10 years to the date we opened the university, what do we do? We play our first football game.”
UTRGV has sold nearly 3,000 ticket deposits so far.
Conque emphasized it was the students who made this possible.
“If it wasn’t for the student vote back in 2021, none of this would be possible,” he said. “And so, I can tell you how proud we are as administrators to be able to say, students, you spoke, we listened, and now we’re responding, and they’re getting to see their student experience transform right in front of their eyes.”
In addition, fans in Brownsville will be able to see the Vaqueros play one home game every year at the Sams Memorial Stadium.
Head coach Travis Bush said the fans will make the stadium experience memorable.
“It’s not just us,” Bush said. “It’s not just the team. It’s definitely not the coach. It’s everybody in the stand. It’s everybody in those seats. The seats full filled with orange, the student section packed, the bands playing, you know, being loud when we’re on defense and just roaring as loud as we can when we score, and the whole county should know when we score.”
This is Victoria Gonzalez for Vaquero Radio.
