Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium is a stadium in Manhattan , Kansas . It is used for American football , and is the home field of the Kansas State University Wildcats football team . It is named after head coach Bill Snyder and his family . Since 1990 , K - State is 113 - 26 - 1 ( . 807 ) at home . Construction and renovations . Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium opened as KSU Stadium in 1968 , with a capacity of 35 , 000 . It was the replacement for the on - campus Memorial Stadium , which hosted Kansas State football games since 1922 ( and is still standing today ) . The first game played at the new stadium was on September 21 , 1968 – Kansas State shut out Colorado State 21 - 0 . In 1970 , 4 , 000 permanent bleacher seats were added to the east side and 3 , 000 temporary seats on the west side . Also that year , an AstroTurf playing field was installed in place of natural grass . Over the next two decades , the stadium received only periodic updates . First , the original turf was replaced in 1980 with a product called Superturf , and lights were installed prior to the 1983 season . In 1988 , the south end of the stadium was partially enclosed when the new Bramlage Coliseum was completed . A large reception room inside the coliseum now overlooks the south end of the stadium . Finally , prior to the 1991 season , another new artificial playing surface was installed and the playing field was named Wagner Field for the Dave and Carol Wagner family of Dodge City , Kansas . In 1993 , on its 25th anniversary , KSU Stadium saw its first significant permanent additions – a five - level press box and luxury suites on the west side of the field . After the 1998 season , the stadium underwent another expansion , a $ 12 . 8 million project designed by HOK Sport that increased the official seating capacity to 50 , 300 and added an upper deck on the east grandstands , club seating , and more luxury suites . Prior to the 2002 season , the artificial turf was updated to a more cushioned FieldTurf surface at a cost of $ 800 , 000 . Prior to the 2006 season , another $ 5 . 6 million was used to renovate the locker - room complex and add new north end zone seating , reportedly raising the permanent seating capacity by approximately 1 , 900 . The renovation also included new audio and visual electronics and a new hydrotherapy center . Although new permanent seating was added , the athletic department actually lowered the stadium ' s official seating capacity to 50 , 000 following the renovation . After the 2010 season the field was replaced with artificial gameday turf . Additional renovations were announced including the addition of concessions and restrooms in the east side upper deck . Name . Before the final game of the 2005 season , Kansas State offered to name the stadium Bill Snyder Stadium in honor of retiring head coach Bill Snyder . In 17 years , Snyder had turned the Wildcats , once the definition of college football futility , into a frequent championship contender in the Big 12 Conference . When he was asked about renaming the stadium , Snyder told school officials , " If you are going to do it , name it after the people that I care about the most . " Hence , the Regents renamed the stadium to honor the family of the coach who had led the team for 17 years . Starting in the 2009 season , Snyder returned to coach the team again , becoming one of only three coaches in division I FBS history to coach in a stadium that bears his name , joining Bear Bryant at Alabama and Shug Jordan at Auburn . Top 10 crowds at Snyder Stadium . Kansas State has exceeded the official capacity at Bill Snyder Family Stadium several times ; following are the top 10 crowds : Expansion plans . On Jan . 5 , 2012 , the eve of K - State ’ s third appearance in the AT & T Cotton Bowl Classic , the university announced plans to construct the West Stadium Center , the second phase of the stadium master plan . Phase Two of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium Master Plan will feature a new west - side structure providing a northwest gateway to the K - State campus that will connect the athletics complex to the campus . Phase One of the master plan was completed prior to the 2011 season with the addition of new restrooms to the east - side upper deck and a new AstroTurf playing surface on Wagner Field . The approximate facility , constructed in K - State limestone at a projected full project cost of $ 75 million , is planned to provide enhanced amenities for fans and student - athletes while replacing the stadium ' s original facilities , built in 1968 , and the Dev Nelson Press Box , opened in 1993 . The new structure will include larger concession and restroom facilities , new ticket office and K - State retail locations , a K - State Hall of Honor within a large main concourse , a student - athlete dining hall , new club and loge seats as well as additional premium suites and a new press / media level . On December 15 , 2012 , at 9am , the old Dev Nelson Press Box , built in 1994 , was imploded by controlled explosion to make way for the new West Stadium Center . The project will be led by sports design firm AECOM ( formerly Ellerbe Becket ) , out of Kansas City , with design support from Heery Design in conjunction with Construction Managers GE Johnson and Mortenson Construction . With the majority of the fundraising goal reached , K - State broke ground on the project prior to the 2012 Spring Game . The expansion is scheduled to be substantially completed in time for the 2013 football season . The initial construction process will take place around the current press box structure before being fully completed . No tax or tuition dollars will be used , as the facility will be funded entirely by private donations through leadership construction gifts and grass roots support . Non - football uses . The facility has hosted a very small number of non - football activities . On September 5 , 1987 , Willie Nelson performed a concert at the stadium to raise money for Farm Aid , following a Kansas State football game against Austin Peay State .