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COLUMN: Tour Guide: Patrolling the ins and outs of Eagle Stadium
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
If I had to use one word to describe the new Eagle Stadium, it would be spectaculous.
If I had to use an actual word to describe the stadium, I'd go with magnificent.
That isn't a very practical review though as it is neither informative nor lengthy enough to fill any discernable amount of space.
I got the opportunity to tour the new $59.6 million marvel (sorry readers but I think it is mandatory to mention the price in any piece about the stadium) on Friday and Allen taxpayers will be glad to know the project is schedule to come in at or under budget.
They will also be glad to know the district took note of the biggest complaint from the old stadium and went all out to fix it.
Former Eagle Stadium, or Eagle Stadium Classic if one prefers, had only 900 parking spots. Fans going to a game of any importance would have to be there two hours earlier or take their chances of being towed by parking in the Blockbuster Video or Brookshire's parking lot. That should no longer be a concern as parking spaces around the new stadium and at the high school total 5,050.
"We will have plenty of parking," said Steve Williams, Allen ISD athletic director, with a sly smile.
It may surprise some to know there are non-alcoholic tailgating areas in the stadium.
It shouldn't given the size of the facility.
Eagle Stadium is enormous, but holds only 18,000 people, which is 5,000 lower than the capacity at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio (the highest in the state). The reason for that, aside from looking at a bunch of empty seats when Richardson rolls into town, is the stadium contains a massive amount of open space. From the open-ended visitor end zone, which features a giant A in the concrete under the main scoreboard, to concourses that are three times as big as anything at Plano ISD's Clark or Kimbrough Stadium, there is plenty of room for extracurricular activities and the presumed uptick in attendance.
Fans may not need to leave their seats much though as the stadium is set to feature free Wi-Fi throughout ... Angry Birds Space and Spy vs. Spy high scores beware.
With all of these impressive features though comes one potential disadvantage.
Atmosphere.
Eagle Stadium Classic, which opened in 1976, was built for 7,000. That capacity doubled through the years with 7,000 rented bleacher seats crammed into the building, pushing fans right on top of the visitor's sideline and creating a raucous combination of fans per square foot.
The more open new stadium could dissipate that edge.
"There is no doubt we had an incredible home field advantage at the old stadium and there is a little concern about losing that atmosphere," said Tom Westerberg, Allen football head coach. "But we are going to use this new stadium to our advantage, especially with all the people we can have in here."
The Allen players, who also toured the nearly completed stadium Friday, have thought about the number of fans in the stadium as well.
"Look at how big this place is," said Cameron Hartsfield, senior defensive back. "And all the people out there are going to be standing up during our games."
That could provide a particular advantage at the goal lines with the student section behind the home end zone and the area adjacent to the visitor end zone having 1,000 seats for band members and the Escadrilles.
"The band is going to be right there," said Chad Adams, junior defensive back, as junior offensive lineman Tejan Koroma quickly added, "Can you imagine when the other team is driving and its fourth and goal; it is going to be so loud."
Perhaps the crowd could be heard underneath the stadium, which contains nearly as many bells and whistles as the main structure.
The crown jewel of those features may be a state-of-the-art weight room that measures 84 yards long and was mentioned by many AISD representatives Friday. There are also facilities for the golf team and a wrestling mat room that appears at least three to four times larger than the Eagles' previous training spot.
"At least," Westerberg said. "I think it's probably even bigger than that."
The wrestling team will now be contained in Eagle Stadium with a mat room, locker room and office for head coach Jerry Best removing the team from its dungeon-esque conditions above the gym at the Lowery Freshman Center.
Best was more diplomatic about the team's former training space.
"It was ... it had a lot of character and history to it," he said. "But we are definitely glad to be moving into the new stadium."
That is the prevailing sentiment with Eagle Stadium set for completion Aug. 16, an open house scheduled for Aug. 23, a scrimmage against Arlington Martin on Aug. 24 and Allen's season opener against Southlake Carroll on Aug. 31.
"I'm really excited," Koroma said. "I can't wait for that first game."
Having now spent several hours inside the stadium I have to admit, I am pretty excited as well.
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