SPOKANE, Wash. — Joe Albi Stadium stood for more than seven decades.
A new middle school now stands in its place, but Spokane Public Schools made sure Albi's legacy will not be lost at the new One Spokane Stadium.
Back when the stadium opened in 1950, it was actually called Memorial Stadium. Memorial Stadium was renamed to Joe Albi Stadium in 1962 shortly before the longtime civic leader's death.
Over the decades, Joe Albi Stadium hosted thousands of events, from WSU Cougar football games to Greater Spokane League football and soccer games to unforgettable concerts like the "Monsters of Rock" in 1988.
"So many of our Spokane community have incredible memories of their experience in Joe Albi Stadium, and we don't want that to go away given that we have this brand new stadium," Shawn Jordan, Spokane Public Schools Chief Operations Officer, said. "We wanted to have something carry forward from the past."
Jordan says the school board and Spokane City Council worked together to rename Dean Avenue, which runs between the new stadium and the Podium, to Joe Albi Way.
"We were really honored that that process met with success and that we will be able to, on September 30th, unveil the new Joe Albi Way to honor the legacy and the history of Joe Albi and all that he did for the Spokane community," Jordan said.
But that's not all.
The 600-pound "Joe Fan" statue, which sat in the old stadium since 1997, will have a new home in the walkway outside the new stadium in what will be known as Joe Albi Plaza.
"We're going to relocate it in the plaza, so people will walk by and see Joe fan outside of the brand new stadium," Jordan said.
Jordan believes Albi would be proud of the new stadium and what it will mean for our kids.
"This will be a stadium that our high school students get to play in that is probably unlike any other stadium on the west coast," Jordan said. "This is going to be a really special venue and we're going to create new memories and new traditions with our students today and in the future."
