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I have always been intrigued by the nickname “Mean Green” and the athletic teams of North Texas University certainly get their name out there with this unique moniker. While the school may play in athletic obscurity compared to all of the other big-time DI colleges in the Lone Star State, it should be noted that this is a huge school with over 30,000 undergrads. Located north of Dallas in the college-city of Denton, UNT recently opened a new football stadium in 2011. Apogee Stadium is a modern venue that is a terrific place to watch football. The seating bowl is quite intimate and close to the field, while the character of the facility is really highlighted by the fanned-out V section the in the North End. This represents an eagle’s wings in flight (the eagle is the mascot of the Mean Green). The stadium also includes “The Hill”, a great place for fans to meet and tailgate. While the transportation and fan atmosphere aspects of the stadium experience lack some, the overall aesthetics and building design make this an excellent new stadium for football.
Not only is North Texas a mean kind of green, but they are also an environmental type of green. Apogee Stadium received a LEED Platinum Certification, a rarity in sports facilities. Three wind turbines help to visually illustrate this and the turbines actually power the entire stadium, helping to eliminate the CO2 that it would have emitted. Other forms of technology including recyclable materials and limited water consumption have helped to set a new standard for stadiums. Apogee is one of my favorite kinds of stadiums, a place that the general public does not know about and a place that usually elicits a pleasantly surprised expression upon entering. Â
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Stadium and Arena Visits 