Ground was broken on the stadium in 1934 and the gates were officially opened two years later in 1936. Named in honor of local soldiers who fell in
World War I, the stadium was a project of the
Works Progress Administration. Throughout the years the stadium hosted events of every kind, ranging from Presidential addresses, to classic
professional wrestling encounters featuring local hero
Ric Flair. The stadium formerly hosted Charlotte Central High School (which is now called
Garinger High School). For many years afterward, as the city grew and opened more high schools, the stadium was used practically every week during the football season to accommodate both schools which had no campus stadium and large crowds which some campus stadiums could not contain for the more popular match-ups. In February 1985, the stadium hosted a pair of preseason
United States Football League (USFL) games, which the city hoped would attract an expansion team. The first game on February 2 saw the
New Jersey Generals defeat the
Memphis Showboats 16–3, while the
Baltimore Stars beat the
Tampa Bay Bandits 28–26 on February 16. The Generals–Showboats game drew just 11,667 fans due to rain compared to the approximately 20,000 who attended the Bandits–Stars meeting in sunny weather. From 1937 to 2000, the stadium hosted the Shrine Bowl, which was an annual match-up of the top high school football players in North Carolina and South Carolina. Sometime during the 1960s and 1970s, Memorial Stadium gained upper-level seating on both sides of the field, raising its capacity to over 20,000. On October 4, 1996, the grunge rock band
Pearl Jam played a concert at the stadium. During the tour that included this show, the band was determined to find alternative venues, such as this one, primarily as a way to avoid using Ticketmaster as the ticket seller. For the past few years the stadium has hosted several band competitions. It has hosted the battle of the Bands between the biggest HBCUs in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, and hosted
Drum Corps International competitions hosted by
Carolina Crown. The stadium also served as a neutral site for the 2002 and 2003 meetings between
The Citadel and
VMI, known as the
Military Classic of the South.
Recent events In late 2009 the east end of the stadium suffered significant damage after a storm drain under the structure caved in causing the stands above it to collapse. While repairs were being made, the stadium was closed for several months. The stadium reopened in July 2010 with a reduced capacity as a grass berm largely replaced the old seating. Memorial Stadium served as the home field for the
Charlotte Hounds MLL team. The team began play at the start of the 2012 season and used the stadium for home games until 2018. The team is currently on hiatus and hopes to return in 2021. The stadium continues to play a large role in Charlotte-Mecklenburg high school football, as it hosts big ticket match-ups such as
Butler v.
Independence and
Charlotte Latin v.
Charlotte Country Day. The
Myers Park Mustangs moved most of their 2012 home games to the stadium after renovations temporarily lowered capacity at Gus Purcell Stadium, their on-campus home. In early 2015, the possibility arose of renovating the stadium to accommodate professional soccer in Charlotte and try to lure an MLS expansion franchise to the city, however this was only a proposal. Sometime during 2015, a new press box was constructed on the 'visitors' side of the stadium. The Mecklenburg County Commissioners approved a $23 million renovation plan in late 2017.
2019 reconstruction In September 2019, Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation broke ground on a $31.7 million reconstruction of the stadium, which became the new home of the
USL Championship soccer team
Charlotte Independence beginning in spring 2021. The reconstruction was completed in 2021. The existing stadium was demolished and re-built. The reconstruction added new concourse buildings, a memorial, a new scoreboard and other amenities. Historical elements of the stadium, such as the stone wall and ticket booths, were removed and preserved offsite, then reinstalled in the new structure. Capacity dropped to 10,500. In May 2023,
USL Super League president Amanda Vandevort announced that Carolina would be one of the league's initial clubs. The women's soccer team will play in American Legion Memorial Stadium starting in August 2024. ==Sports==