Athletic Facility Rentals
Host your event with confidence at Aurora University, where professional-grade fields for football, soccer, lacrosse, and softball, a full-size gymnasium, and a multipurpose indoor facility, are matched by convenient parking, seamless highway access, and a skilled staff ready to ensure your event’s success.
AU currently has two locations for events, each with specific hours:
- Vago Field is located at the main campus for football, soccer, and lacrosse. Hours for events are flexible, ranging from 8 a.m. to sunset.
- Spartan Athletic Park is located at 1000 S. Edgelawn Dr. for football, soccer, lacrosse, and softball. Hours for events are flexible, ranging from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Lighting can also be requested for events from sunset until 10 p.m.
Available Spaces
- Spartan Stadium (Football/Soccer/Lacrosse Field at Spartan Athletic Park)
- Bedrosian Stadium (Softball Field at Spartan Athletic Park)
- Multi-purpose Room (Indoor Facility at Spartan Athletic Park)
- Thornton Gymnasium
- Vago Field
Securing a Field
Download the Rental Request and Agreement Form. Once completed, submit the form via email to externalrentals@aurora.edu.
All forms will be reviewed against the current events calendar to ensure that AU does not have a conflicting event scheduled. All requests must be submitted 30 days before the date requested.
Athletic Facilities
Spartan Athletic Park
Spartan Athletic Park, AU's state-of-the-art multisport complex less than a mile from AU's main campus, houses championship-quality venues for football, lacrosse, soccer, and softball. Spartan Athletic Park opened during the 2017-2018 academic year and is home to Spartan Stadium, Bedrosian Stadium, and a multi-purpose indoor facility.
Spartan Stadium, the home field of the AU football, soccer, and lacrosse teams, seats approximately 1,100 for games.
Bedrosian Stadium, the university's softball field named in honor of former Aurora University Athletic Director, coach, and professor Dr. Sam Bedrosian, seats approximately 350 for games.
Spartan Athletic Park also has an indoor facility that houses a multi-purpose room with caged hitting facilities, which is available for rent and can hold up to 30 people.
Thornton Gymnasium
Thornton Gymnasium, located in Alumni Hall, is home to the Spartan men's and women's basketball and volleyball programs.
Originally constructed in 1967, Thornton was renovated to its current setup in 2014. In 2016, AU named the playing surface in Thornton Gymnasium "Lancaster Court" following the retirement of the long-time, AU Hall of Fame basketball coach.
Thornton Gymnasium seats 1,185 for games and is also home to the AU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Vago Field
Vago Field is utilized year-round by the AU football, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s soccer as well as a practice field for other AU teams.
Vago Field sits at the edge of the Aurora University campus, bordered by Southlawn Avenue, Evanslawn Avenue, and Marseillaise Place. Renovated in 2008, the stadium consists today of a 240-foot by 400-foot artificial turf field, a grandstand that seats more than 600 spectators, a sports information center, and restrooms.
Vago Field is named in honor of Louis Vago, AU '51, an Aurora-born attorney. Vago was the first-generation son of immigrant parents and an East Aurora High School graduate. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946 before attending Aurora University. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1953 and graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 1955. In 1960, Vago founded General Aluminum Corporation, growing the company from four employees to nearly 300 with sales nearing $50 million. The field carries his name to recognize his leadership gift, which supported the field’s renovation in the summer of 2008.