Legend Solar announced recently that the solar power provider is contributing $10 million toward renovating the Dixie State University football stadium, aptly renamed Legend Solar Stadium, making it the largest donation in the school’s history.Legend Solar co-founders Shaun Alldredge and Shane Perkins along with Dixie State administrators announced the gift of funds and solar technology from Utah’s fastest growing provider of solar power on Friday morning in a special ceremony on the DSU campus.
“We are proud to have Legend Solar partner with Dixie State as we trailblaze our way together into a bright, innovative and energy-efficient future,” said Shaun Alldredge, co-owner and co-founder of Legend Solar and a Dixie State University alumnus. “This solar installation will be the largest at any university in Utah.”Legend Solar Stadium will be the largest, most efficient and fan-friendly public seating venue south of Provo. The gift will allow the university to expand the stadium to 10,000 seats and add an east grandstand structure housing new locker rooms, restrooms, concessions and ticketing.
The new grandstands will increase the university’s capacity to host events and will become southern Utah’s premier hub for large-scale athletic, public, and civic activities. In addition to hosting NCAA Division II tournaments, the new grandstands will allow DSU to host high school state tournaments and community music concerts. Already hosting the Huntsman World Senior Games and high school marching band competitions, the stadium will be able to accommodate more people and offerings for these popular events.
“Words will never adequately express our appreciation, but we sincerely thank Legend Solar from the bottom of our hearts for making this project a reality,” said Brad Last, DSU vice president of University Advancement.In addition to the monetary donation, Legend Solar will install solar technology on the DSU campus, providing millions of dollars in energy savings over time. A 1,500-kilowatt system, which will be installed gradually through 2027, is projected to generate enough energy to power not only the stadium, but other buildings on campus and save Dixie State University approximately $300,000 a year on its power bill. When the solar array is completed, the environmental impact will be the equivalent of removing 350 cars from the road or planting 40,000 trees annually while providing enough energy to power, light and heat 174 homes for a year.
Alldredge and Perkins started Legend Solar out of their cars four years ago. Today, they are a leading solar company that achieved extraordinary growth of 400 percent in 2015. The company received the 2015 Residential National Rising Star award from SunPower for its outstanding performance, and the co-founders were recently named finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 Award.
