To commemorate the official renaming of the Governor’s Stadium to the Fortera Stadium, APSU held a celebration event on the evening of Saturday, April 23.
At 5:45, Athletics invited several speakers to talk about the partnership with the credit union. Among them, Coach Healy talked about the new commitment to APSU’s football program.
“I saw almost 150 recruits today,” Healy said. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support.” Healy said there is “nothing in this stadium that’s not the best.”
President White spoke at the event as well, excited APSU was reaching new heights.
“Our former president believed in athletics and chose to invest in it,” White said. “He was a visionary.”
White said the renaming was symbolic of a new relationship with both Fortera and the student body. White said she wanted to focus on the fan experience.
“[The stadium] is the best place to hang out on the weekend, but what’s next?”
White stressed the significance of the renaming and what it means going into the future.
“It’s somebody’s name,” she said. “It’s a bond and a trust. It says ‘we’re going to hang out with you for the next few years.’”
Another speaker was Tom Cain, current president of Fortera Credit Union.
“Our 52,00 employees are from here,” Cain said. “”We wanted somebody that felt right for us, and that somebody was APSU. Everything here is moving in the right direction.”
After the speeches, singer Maggie Rose held a concert, which started at 6:30.
Rose is a country singer who debuted in 2009 and performed a variety of songs during the evening, including her first recorded single, “I Ain’t Your Momma.” Many of these songs are from her newly-released “EP: The Variety Show,” and included upbeat pieces like “Inevitable” and slower tracks like “Heartbreak Radio.”
The festivities ended with a firework show at 7:45, marking the historic occasion with cheer.
