In 1997, the Mocs football program said goodbye to historic Chamberlain Field and ushered in a new era for both the University and the City of Chattanooga. On Oct. 18, 1997, Chattanooga opened its new home, Finley Stadium Davenport Field, as an overflow crowd of 22,646 watched UTC defeat Tennessee State 28-7.  The 20,668-seat facility is the best of its kind among Division I-FCS Subdivision stadiums and is the crown jewel for the city’s Southside revitalization project.

The $28.5 million project needed financial support to become a reality. Donations from the private sector ranged anywhere from ten dollars to $1 million. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the project came from private donations. The City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County contributed $13 million, the State of Tennessee gave $3.5 million and the University donated $2.9 million.

Ground breaking on the site that was once the Rock Tenn plant was held March 7, 1996. Seven months later, the Stadium Corporation named the facility Finley Stadium Davenport Field.

The late W. Max Finley, former Chairman of the Rock Tenn Corporation, dedicated his life to public service and was an active supporter of the University of Tennessee system. He received both the University of Chattanooga Distinguished Alumni Award and the Outstanding Service Award of the UTC Alumni Council.  He was also inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame.

The playing field is named in honor of the late Gordon Lee Davenport, the President and CEO of the Krystal Company from 1975-85.  Davenport served as Chairman of the Stadium Corporation and Campaign and worked tirelessly in the planning and development of the facility. Davenport, a longtime friend of UTC athletics and Mocs football, received the UTC Alumni Council Outstanding Service Award and is a member of the University’s Hall of Fame.

A new artificial turf surface, a state-of-the-art plastic grass, was installed in the spring of 2015 by Astroturf.

The Stadium Corporation left nothing out of its masterpiece. The facility, designed by Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson and built by C&I Specialty, both of Chattanooga, contains 32 luxury sky boxes and 3,465 preferred seats with chairbacks. The $350,000 scoreboard includes a video board, and the Stadium Club can hold 250 for pregame or postgame functions. The press box can hold 60 media workers, has three radio booths and a television broadcast booth. Identical home and visitors locker rooms contain a separate athletic training area and coaches’ locker room, as well as an extensive player locker area.

Besides serving as the home of Mocs Football, Finley Stadium Davenport Field hosted the NCAA FCS National Championship from 1997 to 2009.  It is also host to international and high school soccer, including the U.S. Women’s National Team, high school football, national lacrosse tournaments, concerts, the Chattanooga FC and other community festivals.