History

          From 1916 to 1926, Emerson Field was considered the home of the North Carolina Tar Heels.  However, its limited capacity of 2,400 was inadequate for the increasing crowd sizes.  Expansion of Emerson was not possible because it was also used by the baseball team; therefore, any new football seats would have been too far away for baseball games.  Thus, a new location was necessary for the football games.  This new location ended up being on the far southern end of campus.  This location was chosen in order to keep academia (such as the classrooms and library) and football separate from one another.  
          Construction on Kenan Stadium began in November of 1926.  The stadium was originally supposed to be funded by alumni donations.  This financing plan changed after William Rand Kenan Jr. showed an interest in the proposal.  Kenan Jr., the grandson of an original UNC trustee, was born in North Carolina in 1873 and graduated from Carolina in 1894.  After graduation, he became a prominent business man in Miami.  He was already considering establishing a memorial to his parents, William R. Kenan and Mary Hargrave Kenan, when he heard plans of a new football stadium at Carolina.  After seeing a copy of the prospect and the plan for financing the stadium, Kenan decided that this stadium would be the perfect memorial for his parents.  On the day which Kenan visited the planned site, he announced his financial gift to the stadium.  The final cost of both the stadium and the accompanying fieldhouse ended up being $303,000.  The construction was completed by August of 1927 with a capacity of 24,000, with overflow bleachers which could hold up to 40,000 spectators.  Even after the completion of the original stadium, Kenan continued to be a large financial contributor to the stadium and helped to fund several of its expansions.  In death, he left a trust to directly benefit the stadium, fieldhouse, and university as a whole.

Sources:

http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/facilities/unc-kenan-stadium.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenan_Memorial_Stadium

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

New Kenan Renovations

New Kenan is a project currently underway to improve the facility of Kenan Memorial Stadium. It will modernize and expand the stadium through various projects. In fact the entire process is incorporated into many phases, with each being completed when the necessary funds are raised by the Rams Club. A more modern Kenan Stadium would bring in more money and increase the opportunities for nationally broadcasted events, sending the message of Carolina dominance into more and more households across the globe. Carolina Athletics have exposure to multiple media outlets and sponsorships with many transnational corporations and products.

According to newkenan.com the first phase was completed in August 2009. Phase 1 included the addition and remodeling to the team spaces in the Kenan Football Center. In particular this affected the Recruiting and media offices, transforming them into world class workplaces for the staff of Carolina football. Phase 2 is currently underway and can be seen with the construction crews around Kenan Stadium. This phase brings a completely new and state of the art Carolina Student-Athlete Center for Excellence which includes lounges, academic support, and a world class weight room for use by all Carolina Student Athletes, not just the football team. Phase 2 also includes the Blue Zone (See Video). The Blue Zone will enclose the East End Zone and incorporate Premium seating into Kenan Stadium. Field Level suites are one of the main draws of these new seats. Future phases have not been planned but a complete renovation of Kenan Stadium is planned, including the North and South sides. Stadium exterior design is also on the list to be completed to better interact with the landscaping and reforestation of Kenan Woods. Energy efficient restrooms and concessions along with more convenient concourses are also points of emphasis. With all these changes coming, fans of Carolina Football should be excited to experience a more vibrant atmosphere. Modern facilities will not only help inspire your Carolina Pride, it will help Coach Davis recruit world class athletes and bring Carolina football to National Prominence. Go Heels

Information, video, and picture from newkenan.com