LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — One of the most iconic destinations in Arkansas is found in central Little Rock.
Adam Bledsoe and the Discover Arkansas team traveled west of the THV11 studio to War Memorial Stadium (WMS).
Located next to the Little Rock Zoo, War Memorial Stadium has played host to sporting events, epic concerts, graduation ceremonies, and other community events.
In 2017, Gov. Asa Hutchinson placed the stadium under the umbrella of Arkansas Parks and Tourism.
Long-time THV11 viewers will recognize WMS Superintendent Justin Dorsey as being the former “Safe-Speed” Officer for Benton Police Department until 2019. Dorsey was a normal guest on THV11’s morning show providing traffic conditions.
Adam (who also formerly serve as a “Safe-Speed” Officer) was given a behind the scenes tour of the familiar venue.
War Memorial Stadium opened in 1948 and was “dedicated to the men and women of Arkansas who give their lives in the great wars.”
Since her opening, millions of fans have entered this magical stadium to enjoy major upsets or jam out to massive rock concerts.
According to Dorsey, one of the highest attended events was during the 1991 Bob Hope tour, “Hope Across America” which drew 49,000 fans. The late Reverend Billy Graham hosted a week long event at WMS which attracted 270,000 people that week.
The stadium originally had a seating capacity of 31,000 visitors. After renovations throughout the years, WMS now seats more than 54,000 screaming guests.
Some of the most memorable Arkansas Razorback football games were hosted in WMS, most notably the 2002 contest between the Razorbacks and LSU when the Razorbacks topped the Tigers 21-20 to what has become known as the “Miracle on Markham.”
Though WMS may take a backseat to Fayetteville for most Hogs games, WMS is still host to many incredible events.
With modern turf and scoreboards, WMS is now home to the Little Rock Rangers, which is a soccer team in the USL League Two, a national semi-pro league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. Event coordinators and encouraged to consider WMS sky-boxes as a potential meeting space to get out of the office.
War Memorial Stadium is a tribute to all Arkansans who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the line of service.
On behalf of all the employee’s at THV11, Adam, a military vet, tips his hat to these great men and women who fought and died for this great country. May their memory never fade.