1995-1998 Expansion and Other Changes

In 1995, head football coach Mack Brown pushed plans for expansion of Kenan Stadium due to the higher demand for tickets. Carolina's football program was experiencing success and Brown hoped to bring "big time football" to UNC with the addition of extra seats and a brand new football center. The first change came in 1995 when a new field was installed in the stadium. The new turf allowed for better drainage and was an important asset during rainy game days to prevent field conditions from hindering players' abilities. In 1997, 6,000 new seats were added to the west end zone; completely enclosing the stadium on the west side to create a horseshoe (what it is today-2010). In 1998, 2,000 more seats were installed in the west end zone. By the end of 1998, the stadium's total capacity was 60,000. As well as the additional seats, a preferred seating box was put in above the stands of the North side of the stadium. In conjunction with the expansion, the Frank H. Kenan Center was built on the west side of the stadium. The center is five levels, with the Charlie Justice Hall of Honor located on the first. The Hall of Honor is home to Carolina memorabilia from past football seasons. It is a place for fans to go and remember the success the program has experienced over the years. Before the 2003 season, a 2 million dollar video scoreboard was added to the east end of Kenan. The scoreboard gave fans the ability to see previous plays and watch the game when it was difficult to see what was occurring on the field.

Despite the expansion and changes during this time, Kenan Stadium has kept the same function. It still serves as a postmodern space for fans to watch and enjoy the Tar Heels play football and promotes a fun atmosphere. Because of its size, the stadium also yields additional purposes. The University of North Carolina uses Kenan to house the graduation commencement ceremony, and North Carolina high school football championship games are also held here.

Information from
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/facilities/unc-kenan-stadium.html
http://www.sports-venue.info/NCAAF/Kenan_Stadium.html