The governing body of the Texas A&M University System has approved the building of a new football stadium on the West Texas A&M University campus.
On Thursday, the Board of Regents voted to approve the construction of the new football stadium with an initial project cost of $38 million. Of the price tag, $32.5 million will come from student-approved increases in athletic fees. The remaining cost of the stadium will be funded by Revenue Financing System Debt Proceeds and interest income.
Regents also voted to approve the renaming of the project from the initial Football and Soccer/Track Stadiums Project to the new Football Stadium Project. The stadium's site will be located east of the current soccer stadium, placing it accessible from Russell Long Boulevard, eliminating the relocation of the soccer stadium. The stadium will include a multi-story building to house concourse suites, elevated club seating areas and a press box.
The renaming of the project also was approved by the Board. The project, originally named the Football and Soccer/Track Stadiums Project, is now known as the Football Stadium Project. The site for the new stadium was originally planned for the site of the current soccer/track stadium. The location has now been moved to an area east of the current soccer/track stadium, making it more readily accessible to campus right off Russell Long Boulevard, eliminating the relocation of the soccer/track stadium. The stadium will include an upper level of pre-engineered metal grandstands and a lower level of cast-in- place concrete surrounding a below-grade artificial turf playing field, according to WTAMU. Grass berms will also be available to accommodate general admission seating. North berms will also be configured to host WTAMU's live mascot, Thunder XII, during games.
Approximately 8,500 seats will be housed in the stadium with a total capacity of 12,000, counting in overflow berm seating and standing-room space. There will also be expansion opportunities for a capacity of up to 14,000 seats.
Regents also approved negotiating a ground lease agreement with 2 B's Hotels for the construction, operation and maintenance of a hotel on a three acre tract of University land near the Holiday Inn off of 4th Avenue in Canyon. The hotel will feature up to ninety rooms, meeting rooms, a pool, hot tub, fitness room and other amenities.
Construction on the stadium is expected to begin in May. Initial projections have the stadium's completion slated for August.
Photo by WTAMU