Allen ISD’s new $60 million football stadium scheduled to open July 2012

They say everything is bigger in Texas and Allen Independent School District is no exception with construction underway on the new $60 million football stadium. Slated to open in July, the Eagles will unveil the larger-than-life facility on the industry-leading Matrix® synthetic turf system by Hellas Sports Construction.

Resembling a college-style coliseum with the sunken bowl design and generous 18,000 seating capacity, Eagles Stadium will feature over 90,000 square feet of Matrix turf with permanent lines for football and soccer and CushDrain® elastic shock pad for improved shock absorption and drainage. Once complete, the Class 5A powerhouse will have the largest high school football stadium dedicated to one team in the state of Texas.

For Allen athletic director Steve Williams, the twenty-plus year relationship of working with Reed J. Seaton and Hellas Construction has been an enjoyable experience.

“Along with their excellent customer service and turn-key operation, I feel Hellas has the best product on the market today,” said Williams. “You hear people say they are Chevy people. Some say they are Ford people. We are Hellas people.”

Other highlights include a two-tier press box, a high-definition video replay scoreboard, outdoor plazas, a Wall of Honor, a training room for the wrestling team and an indoor golf practice area.

The stadium is part of the $119 million bond initiative that passed in May 2009, which includes a new fine art auditorium and transportation service center for the district. A growing city of nearly 85,000 residents, the Dallas suburb has a student body of over 5,000, including a 650-member marching band, the largest in the nation.

According to Williams, the current stadium was built back in 1976 and was originally designed for a Class 3A program with a 7,200 capacity. Despite their best efforts to adapt to the school’s growth, the need for a bigger stadium was evident.

“Even after two expansions and the addition of temporary seating for 7,000, we are still unable to accommodate everyone -- the fans, our concessions, the media and so on,” said Williams.

The new Matrix field will give Allen ISD the ability to rent out the facility for playoff games and band competitions, host graduation ceremonies, and even the option to be a concert venue. Williams says plans are also in the works to possibly host some high school classics and Division-II college football games.

Hellas’ patented Matrix turf has been utilized by numerous high-profile clients and is the turf industry’s paramount product. It is comprised of two monofilament yarns that are manufactured in different sizes and colors. This configuration creates the best traction and system stability possible, and under stadium lights, the color combination provides exceptional light deflection. The environmentally friendly backing and high strength coating provides an unparalleled turf bind. Its durability and playability is highly superior to other turf products available in the market.

Hellas has installed the Matrix product in hundreds of stadiums across Texas, including Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Alamodome, South Lake Carroll High School, Texas Tech University, Euless Trinity High School, University of Texas-El Paso, and Baylor University.

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