School spirit got a boost in Houston, Texas, with the grand opening of the replacement W.W. Thorne Stadium for the Aldine Independent School District. The stadium features 74,000 square feet of newly constructed space and accommodates 10,000 spectators.

Global integrated design and engineering firm Stantec served as prime consultant, designing the stadium replacement and supporting facilities. Smith and Associates provided interior design and construction administration.

A revived space for student athletes and the community

The stadium replacement supplants the berm-style stadium built in 1965. It has been supporting the athletic programs at Aldine, Davis, Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Nimitz high schools. However, the facility has remained closed for two years after an assessment revealed structural, plumbing, and accessibility issues.

Supporting the same high schools, the stadium reflects a collegiate design and features lights that can be customized to each team’s colors. New amenities include concessions, guest services, merchandising stands, and district offices, all of which offer full accessibility. The banquet space is now equipped to hold over 400 people. Renovated locker rooms and district offices provide a renewed space for players and staff. The scoreboard features advanced video technology, which students in career and technical education programs will operate during the game.

“We are super excited to provide this gift of a showplace for our community and our students, and I hope to see the stadium full of spectators cheering on our teams," said Dr. LaTonya Goffney, superintendent of the Aldine Independent School District.

The facility will support a variety of student athletic programs, including football and soccer. Marching bands, cheer squads, dance teams, and reserve officers’ training corps (ROTC) programs from all five schools will also shine under the stadium lights.

“Our design embraced the community’s enthusiasm for the local sporting experience with a facility that caters to athletes and supports additional school and local community functions,” said Chris Hopkins, project manager at Stantec. “The result is a dynamic stadium that creates a sense of pride for players, spectators, and staff.”

Beyond the field

The two-story press box is designed to have clear visibility to the game. The first floor provides space for coaches, video teams, and scouts. The second floor has offices and multipurpose meeting spaces.

This latest stadium joins a growing list of Stantec-designed sports facilities in Texas, including Texan Drive Stadium for New Caney Independent School District, Freedom Field for Alvin Independent School District, and Planet Ford Stadium for Spring Independent School District.

Stantec is ranked as a top 10 design firm by Engineering News-Record and Architectural Record. The firm has also been ranked the #1 architecture/engineering firm by Building Design + Construction for 12 consecutive years.

Learn more about how Stantec designs for sports and recreation.