# Barron Stadium > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Barron_Stadium > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Barron_Stadium.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barron_Stadium > Source revision: 1329531449 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Stadium in Rome, Georgia, US}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox venue | name = Barron Stadium | coordinates = {{coord|34.257013|N|85.17698232|W|type:landmark|display=it}} | nickname = | image = File:Barron Stadium.jpg | caption = Barron Stadium in 2025 | location = 301 West 3rd Street, [Rome](/source/Rome%2C_Georgia), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), 30165 | broke_ground = 1924 | opened = | owner = Rome-[Floyd](/source/Floyd_County%2C_Georgia) Parks and Recreation Authority | operator = [Rome City School District](/source/Rome_City_School_District_(Georgia)) | surface = [AstroTurf](/source/AstroTurf){{cite web|title=Barron Stadium gets AstroTurf |publisher=Polk Fish-Wrap |date=July 30, 2010 |accessdate=April 26, 2014 |url=https://maverick.uber.matchbin.com/bookmark/8933110-Barron-Stadium-gets-AstroTurf |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426195919/http://maverick.uber.matchbin.com/bookmark/8933110-Barron-Stadium-gets-AstroTurf/ |archive-date=April 26, 2014 }} | construction_cost = | architect = | tenants = [Shorter University](/source/Shorter_University) ([NCAA](/source/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association))
[Rome High School](/source/Rome_High_School) ([GHSA](/source/Georgia_High_School_Association)) | seating_capacity = 6,500 }} '''Barron Stadium''' is a 6,500-seat [football field](/source/American_football_field) and [track & field](/source/track_%26_field) [stadium](/source/stadium) in [Rome, Georgia](/source/Rome%2C_Georgia). It is home to the [Shorter University Hawks](/source/Shorter_University_Hawks) and [Rome High School](/source/Rome_High_School) Wolves [football](/source/American_football) teams. The facility hosted the [NAIA Football National Championship](/source/NAIA_Football_National_Championship) from 2008–13 and the [NCCAA](/source/National_Christian_College_Athletic_Association) [Victory Bowl](/source/Victory_Bowl) in 2013-14, as well as the NCCAA track championships from 2014-16. Barron Stadium is owned by the Rome-[Floyd](/source/Floyd_County%2C_Georgia) Parks and Recreation Authority (RFPRA), a city-county partnership, and has been operated by the [Rome City School District](/source/Rome_City_School_District_(Georgia)) since 2015. For usage, it cost Shorter University $7,500 in 2012 to host its home football games as part of a three-year, $321,000 contract that included football, track & field, other sports, events, and the school's commencement exercises. Rome High School paid $5,000 per game for its home football games at that time. The RFPRA provides staffing for athletic events and pays for facility maintenance.{{cite web|title=Shorter will pay RFPRA more to use Barron Stadium|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=September 22, 2012|accessdate=April 26, 2014|url=http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/shorter-will-pay-rfpra-more-to-use-barron-stadium/article_8f62dd70-c9e3-5602-b3ee-44da0ef10957.html}} ==History== The athletic field is over 100 years old, originally known as '''Hamilton Field'''. Dating to 1924, the stadium was renamed Barron Stadium in 1925 for local businessman William F. Barron, who helped acquire the property. (Barron's father founded the Rome [Coca-Cola](/source/Coca-Cola) bottling plant in 1901.{{cite news|title=Rome Coca Cola Bottling Co. breaks ground for new plant|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=December 8, 1974|accessdate=April 26, 2014|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19741208&id=5AYvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RzMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4478,1350734}}) Lights were installed by 1937, and the school district turned over operation of the facility to the city recreation department in 1957.{{cite news|title=Rome City Schools receive textbooks from state, acquire athletic fields, launch band programs|publisher=Rome News-Tribune|date=August 6, 1976|accessdate=May 10, 2014|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0Xs1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=RjMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5662%2C1152409}} Renovations occurred in 1967 and 2008, and a new press box was built in 2001.{{cite book|title=2009 Shorter Hawks Football Media Guide|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/shor/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09fbmg.pdf|page=60|access-date=2014-04-26|archive-date=2014-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427011110/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/shor/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09fbmg.pdf|url-status=dead}} In 2010, Barron received $3.4 million in upgrades, paid for by a [local option](/source/local_option) [sales tax](/source/sales_tax), that included a new [artificial turf](/source/artificial_turf) field, an [NCAA](/source/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association)-certified track, and a new scoreboard, plus expanded locker room, press and seating facilities.{{cite web|title=Input sought on Barron Stadium track hours|author=Diane Wagner|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=September 24, 2011|url=http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/input-sought-on-barron-stadium-track-hours/article_8394d399-3c63-5337-b3ba-d0179aa4bb8f.html}} In its early days, the field hosted local prep teams like the [Rome Hilltoppers](/source/Rome_High_School) and [Darlington Lakesiders](/source/Darlington_School). Barron hosted football state championship wins for local [East Rome High School](/source/East_Rome_High_School) in 1977 and 1978, and for [West Rome High School](/source/West_Rome_High_School) in 1983 and 1985. The last crosstown rivalry football game between the schools was played at Barron in 1991 before they were consolidated into one high school. State football championship games were also held at Barron Stadium in 1953, 1954, 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1974. The stadium began hosting Shorter College football in 2005, the program's inaugural season.{{cite web|title=Lasting memories|author=Jeff Gable|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=November 13, 2005|accessdate=April 26, 2014|url=http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/lasting-memorie-sport/article_c8f81bca-84af-5da5-8747-a965514ba703.html}} Barron also hosted football games for [Berry College](/source/Berry_College) in 2013-14 before the team began playing at its new on-campus stadium in 2015. A proposed relocation of the facility in 2005 was scuttled after talks between local developers and the city broke down. Developers wanted to turn the 14-acre Barron Stadium area into a multi-use development with homes, offices, and retail. The athletic facilities would have been relocated to a new location adjacent to Rome's minor-league baseball park, [State Mutual Stadium](/source/State_Mutual_Stadium), with the new complex consisting of a new football stadium, track, gymnastics center, aquatic center, and other buildings.{{cite news|title=Stadium talks move forward|author=Alan Riquelmy|publisher=Rome News-Tribune|date=March 13, 2005|page=1A|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=20050313&id=S5M0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6kQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4648,2712774}} Although an [initial agreement](/source/memorandum_of_understanding) was entered into by the developers and the city, cost estimates and a short timeline for development eventually derailed the project.{{cite news|title=City of Rome ends West Third agreement|author=Alan Riqelmy|publisher=The Cedartown Standard|page=4B|date=January 12, 2006|accessdate=May 10, 2014|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XxtIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HT8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6878%2C244860}} Other problems during the project discussions included the timeline for [debt retirement](/source/government_debt) of bonds that would have been issued from a newly created [tax-allocation district](/source/tax-allocation_district) and reimbursements to [Floyd County](/source/Floyd_County%2C_Georgia) under the proposed city/county agreement.{{cite web|title=Numbers holding up W. 3rd deal|author=Alan Riquelmy|publisher=Rome News-Tribune|date=December 4, 2005|accessdate=May 10, 2014|url=http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/numbers-holding-up-w-rd-dea-local-new/article_073b50b3-6a5a-59fe-b5c8-64d3a1033c30.html}} The stadium was used as a filming location for the 2021 film, ''[Black Widow](/source/Black_Widow_(2021_film))''.{{cite news |last1=DeLetter |first1=Emily |title=No spoilers, but 'Black Widow' is probably from Cincinnati like the rest of us |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2021/07/09/black-widow-cincinnati-hamilton-county-ohio/7916725002/ |access-date=July 10, 2021 |work=The Enquirer |date=July 9, 2021}} ==Other sports== The track at Barron Stadium is named the '''John Maddox Track''' after a local track standout and [1932 Summer Olympics](/source/1932_Summer_Olympics) hopeful who successfully lobbied the city for a better municipal track facility and helped found the [Rome News](/source/Rome_News-Tribune) Relays, a major local track & field event. In 1971, the track at Barron was named after Maddox following his sudden death the previous year.{{cite news|title=Maddox ran to Olympic trials|author=Darrell Black|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=April 16, 1981|accessdate=April 26, 2014|page=1-B|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19810416&id=lPpMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zTIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1565,2232346}}{{cite news|title=Maddox ran to Olympic trials|publisher=[Rome News-Tribune](/source/Rome_News-Tribune)|date=July 7, 1996|accessdate=April 26, 2014|page=28|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19960707&id=2aAjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fTMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3759,8054218}}{{cite web|title=John Maddox, Sr.|publisher=Rome Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority|accessdate=April 26, 2014|url=http://www.rfpra.com/HOF%20John%20Maddox%20Sr.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427010126/http://www.rfpra.com/HOF%20John%20Maddox%20Sr.html|archive-date=April 27, 2014|url-status=dead}} Maddox was the grandson of local judge and [U.S. Rep.](/source/U.S._Representative) [John W. Maddox](/source/John_W._Maddox).{{cite web|title=Rome brothers blazed path across Georgia in 1930s|date=June 23, 2005|author=Mike Cheatham|publisher=[Darlington School](/source/Darlington_School)|url=http://www.darlingtonschool.org/daily/newsView.aspx?newsID=2461162}} There are also tennis courts located at the stadium complex.{{cite web|title=Stadium & Fields|publisher=Rome Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority|accessdate=May 10, 2014|url=http://rfpra.com/facility_fields.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215745/http://rfpra.com/facility_fields.html|archive-date=May 12, 2014|url-status=dead}} ==[GHSA](/source/Georgia_High_School_Association) championship football games at Barron Stadium== *Dec. 10, 1953 (Class B) [Model](/source/Model_High_School) 25, [Ocilla](/source/Ocilla_Public_School) 19{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=24 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222102706/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=24 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 10, 1954 (Class A) Jesup 26, [Rockmart](/source/Rockmart_High_School) 6{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=27 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222155534/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=27 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 6, 1969 (Class C) [Savannah Country Day](/source/Savannah_Country_Day_School) 16, [Adairsville](/source/Adairsville_High_School) 0{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=106 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222123228/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=106 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Nov. 19, 1971 (Class C) [Mount de Sales](/source/Mount_de_Sales_Academy_(Georgia)) 28, Adairsville 14{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=116 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222101712/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=116 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 8, 1972 (Class B) [Southeast Bulloch](/source/Southeast_Bulloch_High_School) 12, Adairsville 9{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=120 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150209/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=120 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 14, 1974 (Class AA) [Americus](/source/Americus_High_School) 6, [West Rome](/source/West_Rome_High_School) 3{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=126 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222155139/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=126 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 10, 1977 (Class A) [East Rome](/source/East_Rome_High_School) 35, [Early County](/source/Early_County_School_District) 7{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=139 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222152133/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=139 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 10, 1983 (Class AA) West Rome 35, [Dooly County](/source/Dooly_County_School_District) 0{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=164 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222135249/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=164 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 14, 1985 (Class AA) West Rome 28, [Washington-Wilkes](/source/Washington-Wilkes_Comprehensive_High_School) 10{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=172 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222153022/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=172 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} *Dec. 20, 1986 (Class A) [Lincoln County](/source/Lincoln_County_High_School_(Lincolnton%2C_Georgia)) 7, East Rome 6{{Cite web |url=http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=177 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222103431/http://ghsfha.org/statechamps.php?aChampID=177 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }} ==Gallery== File:Barron Stadium home stands.jpg|Home stands File:Barron Stadium end zone view.jpg|Stadium view from the end zone File:Barron Stadium at night.jpg|The stadium at night File:Barron Stadium - panoramio.jpg|Barron Stadium in 2015 ==References== {{commons category|Barron Stadium}} {{Reflist}} *[http://shorter.prestosports.com/facilities/barron Barron Stadium] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410111914/http://shorter.prestosports.com/facilities/barron |date=April 10, 2014 }} *[http://romegeorgia.org/2013/05/nccaa-names-rome-floyd-county-as-host-of-football-track-championships/ NCCAA names Rome-Floyd County as host of football, track championships] *[http://www.georgiatrend.com/November-2012/Rome-Floyd-County-Making-Things-Happen/ Floyd County: Making things happen] *[http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/new-scoreboard-going-up-at-barron/article_5cbcbd78-ff37-5ab6-bec4-f25c67095d4a.html New scoreboard going up at Barron] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/bamaboy1941/12506244534/in/photostream/ Photo of the stadium sign] {{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}} {{succession box | title = Host of the [NAIA Football National Championship](/source/NAIA_Football_National_Championship) | years = 2008-2013 | before = [Jim Carroll Stadium](/source/Jim_Carroll_Stadium) | after = [Municipal Stadium (Daytona Beach)](/source/Municipal_Stadium_(Daytona_Beach)) }} {{succession box | title = Host of the NCCAA [Victory Bowl](/source/Victory_Bowl) | years = 2013-2014 | before = [Francis Field](/source/Francis_Field_(Greenville%2C_Illinois)) | after = [Lumpkins Stadium](/source/Lumpkins_Stadium) }} {{end}} {{Rome, Georgia}} {{Gulf South Conference football venue navbox}} {{Georgia college football venues}} Category:College football venues in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:1924 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Buildings and structures in Rome, Georgia Category:Shorter Hawks football Category:Sports venues completed in 1924 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Barron Stadium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barron_Stadium) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barron_Stadium?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.