History
Phillips Field opened on October 4, 1937 as the University of Tampa's football stadium. It hosted the Cigar Bowl from 1946 to 1954, some Florida Gators home games and several NFL preseason games in the mid-1960s.
After Tampa Stadium was completed in 1967 the field fell into disuse. The historical marker says the bleachers were razed in 1970; Tampa Preparatory School and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park now occupy the site.
Why it matters: Home of Tampa's Cigar Bowl and University of Tampa football.
Timeline
- October 4, 1937Opened[1]
Phillips Field opened as the home of University of Tampa football.
- 1946First Cigar Bowl[1]
The Cigar Bowl, the area's first college bowl game, began a run at the stadium through 1954.
- 1967
Tampa Stadium was completed and Phillips Field fell into disuse.
- 1970Bleachers razed[2]
The bleachers were razed; the field was then used mainly for University of Tampa practice.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Tampa Preparatory School and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | A historical marker in Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Tampa Spartans | NCAA · 1937–1967 |
|---|---|
| Cigar Bowl | 1946–1954 · event |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | Tampa, Florida |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | October 4, 1937[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1967[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1970[2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 20,000[1] |
| Owner / operator | University of Tampa (1937-1967) |
| Closure | Replaced by Tampa Stadium (1967). |
Documented details
Sources
- Phillips Field (Florida), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, teams
- Phillips Field historical marker, The Historical Marker Database. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Wikipedia says the stadium was razed in the early 1970s; the historical marker says the bleachers were razed in 1970.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.