HOUSTON – June 12, 2012) – Game Day
on the University of Houston campus will be better for fans and
student-athletes in 2014. PageSoutherlandPage and DLR Group have been selected
to design a new football stadium for the Houston Cougars football program to
elevate the fan and student-athlete experience.
The new stadium design will have
40,000 seats, 22 luxury suites, 200 loge box seats, club seating for 650 fans,
and enhanced press facilities for the 2014 season. Fan amenities will include
signature shaded areas and breezeways, expanded concessions, and upgraded
scoreboards and sound system. Succeeding phases will increase seating to
50,000, and ultimately 60,000. The total project budget is $105 million.
The new stadium will be constructed
on the site of 71-year-old Robertson Stadium, which will be demolished after
the 2012 season.
"This project isn't just about
replacing a stadium with a more modern facility; it’s about creating a venue
that showcases the football team’s on-field accomplishments while providing a
spectacular view of the downtown skyline,” said PageSoutherlandPage Principal
in Charge Jeffrey Bricker. “As Houstonians, we’ve seen the University of
Houston become a bigger and bigger part what makes the city a great place to
live, work and now, receive a Tier One education.”
“The vision is to create a new venue
that is captivating on game days and also an iconic, vibrant building on the
campus 365 days a year,” said DLR Group Principal Don Barnum. “The integrated
PageSoutherlandPage | DLR Group design team looks forward to designing a
stadium that will raise the profile of Houston football in the city, in Texas,
and across the country.”
Larry Speck, Design Principal of
PageSoutherlandPage, said, "This building will attract more visitors to
the University of Houston campus--from loyal alumni and major donors to
neighborhood kids with collegiate dreams--than any other. It will create a
critical outreach to the community and a conspicuous window for Houstonians
into their primary hometown academic institution."
Improving the student-athlete experience is a focus of the master plan
for Houston Cougar football. The new football complex, which will be built by
Manhattan Construction, will feature state-of-the-art locker facilities,
including a locker room suite for Houston football and three visitor locker
rooms; brand new playing surface; a 20,000 SF academic services building; a
marching band rehearsal facility; dedicated tailgating areas; and a new Houston
Athletics Hall of Fame.