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Cowboys in Laramie

Official Review by Rich Kurtzman, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

War Memorial Stadium sits in a picturesque setting, between the Rocky Mountains to the West and the Laramie Range to the East in Laramie, Wyoming.

While driving north from Colorado, there are grass fields and plains leading up to Laramie, with the majestic mountains all around in the distance.

Laramie, situated on the Wyoming plains, is known for being windy, and it's advised to dress warm in the fall and winter while attending football games.

Laramie is a small town, with a historic downtown, that gives you the feel of an older, simpler America. The people are friendly, and there's no doubt that they absolutely love their Cowboys.

Wyoming Cowboys symbols can be seen all over town, proudly displayed on storefronts, on flags, and on every Wyoming native's license plate - Laramie is crazy for their Cowboys. And it's easy to see that attending Cowboys games are the thing to do and the place to be in Laramie on a Saturday afternoon. There was a great mix of people; from students, to older graduates and lots of kids and families at War Memorial Stadium this Saturday in early November.

Built in 1950, War Memorial is still standing strong. And it was brought into the 21st century with the Wildcatter Stadium Club and Suites in 2010. The 12 individual suites and stadium club area holds 256 indoor seats and it is named after the many "Wildcatters" or gambling oil and gas drillers that helped settle the state. Another new-age improvement was the building of "The Arch" in 2010, a massive free-standing video screen that gives fans glimpses of replays. Also added this century was the $1 million field turf that gives the Cowboys and opponents a first-rate playing surface no matter what the weather conditions may be.

War Memorial holds 32,580 proud and loud Wyoming fans and here's a fun fact; at 7,220 feet above sea level, it is the highest Division 1 college football stadium in America.

Food & Beverage    3

The food and beverage featured is only average. There's not much out of the ordinary served inside the stadium. Besides Papa John's Pizza, a cheesesteak stand and Starbucks coffee, it's basically run-of-the-mill stadium fare.

They have hot dogs, chili dogs (at the Cowboy Cravings stand), french fries, popcorn (bagged and a fresh kettle corn stand), candy (Twizzlers, M&Ms, etc.), peanuts and pretzels.

Drinks include bottled water, Gatorade and Pepsi products ($3.00) and War Memorial Stadium does not serve alcohol.

Atmosphere    3

The atmosphere at Wyoming Cowboys football games is fun, party-like but also family friendly.

Sure, people tailgate with drinks in the parking lot, but no one's out of hand, falling down or fighting. It's a fantastic football atmosphere, with fans young and old going wild in Wyoming, creating some home field advantage while keeping it classy.

Cheerleaders line both sidelines, encouraging fans to get loud, and the stadium plays classic rock and country music that plays to their audience well.

Neighborhood    2

Laramie is a small town, and the stadium is located two miles East of the historic downtown, where many of the restaurants are located.

Of course, there are some restaurants located nearly adjacent to the stadium, including Chili's, Taco Bell, Slingers Chicken and others.

For something a bit more upscale, Laramie's Altitude ChopHouse and Brewery features steaks, seafood and sandwiches for very reasonable prices. And because they are a brewery, there are a variety of tasty suds to sip on if you're in the mood.

Fans    4

One thing is for sure, Wyomingites love their Cowboys, and they go crazy for them at the game.

War Memorial Stadium is filled with Cowboys' brown and yellow on football Saturdays, be it sweatshirts, beanies or a few jerseys.

While the student section goes wild, and at times gets crude chants going, they also sing along to the fight song and others the band plays. And the entire stadium erupts when something good happens for their team as these fans follow football closely.

Access    3

There are two ways to get to Laramie: through Cheyenne on I-25 or from US 287, which is 3rd Street in town, and from 3rd Street, you head through the town on Grand Avenue, where the stadium is located. There are many parking lots around the "stadium area" of campus. But, nearly all of those lots are permit only, and we parked five blocks East of the stadium for free. It wasn't a bad walk, but it was a cold one when the weather turned windy and snowy post-game.

Bathrooms are located under the stands on the smallish concourse and there's one Men's and Women's on the ground level of the East stands, two on the upper deck on the South and North end.

Return on Investment    4

War Memorial Stadium earns high marks on return on investment because it's an inexpensive experience.

Tickets can be found for extremely cheap ($5-$10) and the food is very reasonably priced for a sporting event. And really, it's likely the most fun one can have in Laramie, meaning fans can get a big bang for their buck.

Extras    1

There aren't many extras at War Memorial Stadium, but one thing that is nice is the open area outside the endzones for kids to play around and toss the football. And anyone can stand just outside the endzones, on either the North or South side, and stand only a few steps from the action on the field, which makes for great views.

Error

It's Grand Avenue, not Grant Street.

by CTKafka | Nov 25, 2011 01:01 AM

RE: Error

Thank you for noticing that...we have corrected the name of the street

by paul | Dec 05, 2011 11:21 AM

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