Gies Memorial Stadium
Gies Memorial Stadium is a stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois, United States.
A stadium & arena inside Champaign
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 18°, with about 21" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Champaign
Gies Memorial Stadium is inside Champaign, which has 29 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–84°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
University of Illinois Willard (CMI) has airline service, about 5 miles from Gies Memorial Stadium.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Champaign. Green months are the mild ones.
Gies Memorial Stadium
Gies Memorial Stadium is a stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois, United States. The stadium, used primarily for football, is a memorial to the university's students who died in World War I; their names are engraved on the nearly 200 pillars surrounding the stadium's façade. With a capacity of 60,670, the stadium is primarily used as the home of the university's Fighting Illini football team.
The stadium was known as simply Memorial Stadium (as a memorial to those students who died in World War I) until September 9, 2025, when it was named after Larry Gies Sr., a U.S. Army veteran and the late father of alumnus philanthropist Larry Gies, following a $100 million donation from Gies to the university's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.
- Type
- Stadium & arena
- Opened
- 1923
- Run by
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Wikipedia readers
- 36K a year
Where to stay near Gies Memorial Stadium
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Champaign (29) and Champaign City Township (29).
- 1American Football House
- 2Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
- 3Krannert Art Museum
- 4Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum
- 5Spurlock Museum
- 6Monticello Railway Museum
- 7Robert Allerton Park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Gies Memorial Stadium | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign | in town | — | 29 24 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 91,195 | $211K | C− |
| Champaign City Township | in town | — | 29 24 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 91,195 | $211K | — |
| Urbana | 2 mi east | 5 min | 25 22 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 39,719 | $185K | D |
| Cunningham Township | 2 mi east | 5 min | 25 22 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 39,719 | $185K | — |
| Rantoul Township | 12 mi north | 20 min | 7 5 hotels · 1 motel · 1 campground | 10,281 | $113K | — |
| Mahomet Township | 11 mi northwest | 15 min | 5 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 14,687 | $278K | — |
| Savoy | 3 mi south | 5 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins | 9,113 | $320K | — |
| Mahomet | 10 mi northwest | 15 min | 4 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 10,516 | $299K | A− |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Gies Memorial Stadium
Other well-known places within 57 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
1in town LandmarkAmerican Football House
2in town TheatreKrannert Center for the Performing Arts3in town MuseumKrannert Art Museum
56 mi State parkTurkey Run State Park
414 mi MuseumOctave Chanute Aerospace Museum
5in town MuseumSpurlock Museum
617 mi MuseumMonticello Railway Museum
723 mi GardenRobert Allerton ParkPhoto credits
American Football House: BanjoZebra, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Krannert Center for the Performing Arts: Aries Liang, Public domain · Turkey Run State Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum: Chris Light (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Spurlock Museum: Daderot, CC0 · Monticello Railway Museum: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Robert Allerton Park: D. Finnigan, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Visiting Gies Memorial Stadium
Is Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign?
Yes. It’s inside Champaign, IL.
When is the best time to visit Gies Memorial Stadium?
April, May, June, August, September and October, with highs of 64–84°.
What is the closest airport to Gies Memorial Stadium?
University of Illinois Willard (CMI), about 5 miles away. The nearest big hub is Indianapolis (IND), about 106 miles.
Where should I stay near Gies Memorial Stadium?
Champaign (in town, 29 places to stay), Champaign City Township (in town, 29 places to stay) and Urbana (2 mi, 25 places to stay).
Tips from people in Champaign
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Champaign’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.