(June 19, 2014) Superintendent Updates Community On Stadium.

(May 20, 2014 Update)

NEW! Eagle Stadium To Be Closed for 2014-15 School Year

May 20 - Allen High School’s Eagle Stadium will remain closed for the 2014 football season after consulting engineers found significant structural problems with the Stadium that cannot be repaired quickly, Allen Independent School District Superintendent Lance Hindt announced today.

As a result, Allen will play its home football games in neighboring Plano in 2014 as well as have Plano host two games that were scheduled to be played in Allen, Hindt said. Those games will be played in Allen in 2015, when Allen will have eight home games.

The stadium decision came after an updated interim engineering report from the consultants hired by the district, Nelson Forensics, identified design deficiencies in the elevated concourse at the stadium that fail to meet building codes and reduce the safety and strength of the concourse, Hindt said.

Stadium Update Links

NEW - Stadium Update / Nelson Engineering Report Findings (June 19)

NEW - Nelson Engineering Report Summary - ppt (June 19)

Stadium Closing News Release (May 20)

Tentative Eagle Football Schedule (May 20)

Timeline of Events (May 20)

Eagle Stadium Photos / Artwork

Eagle Stadium Wide

Eagle Stadium Aerial

Stadium Concourse Cracking

Partial Diagram From Engineering Study

Message From Dr. Hindt, Superintendent of Schools

This page has been created to keep our community informed about the ongoing investigation of construction problems with Allen Eagle Stadium. We will be posting new information and adding updates to this page as they become available.

In summary, school district officials identified cracks in the stadium concourse concrete as early as 2012. The problem was first thought to be the concrete shrinkage that naturally occurs but additional cracks led the school district to conduct its own investigation beginning in the fall of 2013. Nelson Forensics, a national engineering firm specializing in analysis of building failures, was hired to conduct an independent review of the cracking problem and entire stadium project.

The school district decided on February 27 to move extracurricular activities from the stadium while Nelson Forensics continued its inspection of the stadium. That has resulted in, among other things, the moving of our 2014 graduation ceremony.

We as a school district are extremely disappointed with this situation. It is an embarrassment for the contractor and the architect, not for the Allen community or school district.

Once the specific problem(s) are identified, we will demand that the responsible parties resolve the issues at no expense to the taxpayers of Allen ISD.

Our community has made a major investment in this facility to showcase the talents of our students. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees and school administration to protect that investment and I can assure you that we are in agreement that Allen Eagle Stadium will be repaired to meet the high standards we expect of all Allen facilities.

Questions and Answers (Updated May 20, 2014 - updated information is shown in red)

What is the problem with Eagle Stadium?

The concrete on the concourse level within the stadium has shown cracking that is beyond what is considered expected and normal for a structure of this type. In the summer of 2012, before the stadium opened, the district’s executive director of facilities noticed unusual cracking on the concourse level and reported it to the builder and the architect. The contractors and the architect said the cracks were normal and not structural. The cause of that cracking is currently under investigation by a third party firm - Nelson Forensics - that the school district hired in the fall of 2013. Until that engineering investigation and report are completed, the exact cause or problem cannot be identified. The engineering investigation is expected to be completed in June 2014. While the engineering report is not complete, information made available from the investigation has led to the decision to close the stadium for the 2014 season. Using information from the Nelson Engineering report, plans for repairing the facility are being developed by Datum Engineering.

Why will the stadium be closed for the 2014 season?

The stadium decision came after an updated interim engineering report from the consultants hired by the district, Nelson Forensics, identified design deficiencies in the elevated concourse at the stadium that fail to meet building codes and reduce the safety and strength of the concourse, according to Superintendent Dr. Lance Hindt.

How does this affect the 2014 football season?

Allen will play its home football games in neighboring Plano in 2014 as well as have Plano host two games that were scheduled to be played in Allen. Those games will be played in Allen in 2015, when Allen will have eight home games.

How does this affect Allen football season ticket holders?

Allen Athletics will not sell season tickets for the 2014 season. All games will be general admission. Every season ticket holder from 2013 will be offered their current seats for the 2015 season.

Why will Allen games be played in Plano?

Staff looked at many options and different stadiums. Plano's Clark and Kimbrough Stadiums were selected because of scheduling and conflicts with other facilities, the preference to play on Friday nights and finding a venue close to Allen.

Why not use the old Allen Eagle Stadium (Lowery Stadium)?

A decision to not use the old stadium for the varsity games was based on several factors. There is limited parking on the property which creates a safety issue with fans crossing Main Street and Greenville from retail parking lots. The stadium was built for a 3-A high school in 1976 and restroom and concession facilities are inadequate for crowds of 12,000-18,000. The sight lines from the temporary bleachers are poor and stadium lighting is not designed for the areas where temporary bleachers are constructed. Finally, the stadium only seats 7,000 which would lead the school district to rent temporary bleachers for another 7,000+ fans at a cost of more than $250,000 for the season. The cost for renting the Plano facility is significantly less at less than $20,000.

Why did it take 18 months for this to be made public?

The contractors and the architect said the cracks were cosmetic and posed no safety risk. Only after our independent engineers said there may be some structural problems did the district close the stadium and notify the public.

What is the concourse and how is it built?

The concourse is the main entry level to the stadium and is where people enter the stadium, access their seats and holds the concession stands. About three-quarter of the concourse is elevated above locker rooms and other facilities below. The elevated concourse slab is a cast-in-place reinforced concrete pan-joist system. The remainder of the concrete at the concourse level is concrete slab-on-grade, resting directly on soil.

What are the repair options being considered?

The engineers have outlined several options for repairing the elevated portion of the concourse. The most extensive option is to remove and replace the damaged sections of concrete. Other options for repair and strengthening are currently being considered, and conceptual designs are being prepared for presentation to AISD.

Is there a preferred solution?

Not at this time.

How long will repairs take?

We do not know yet, because we do not know what repair option will be selected. Our commitment is to make sure we get what we paid for, with no additional cost to the school district or its taxpayers. The most extensive repairs may take one year to complete.

How does the stadium's closure affect Allen students?

The one major event scheduled for the stadium this spring is Allen High School's graduation on June 6. The graduation ceremony has been moved to the American Airlines Center on the same night. Regularly scheduled workouts/classes in the stadium weight room, wrestling room and on the field have been moved to other locations on the school property this spring. The stadium closing also forces the school district to move home football games to Plano for the 2014 season.

What will be the cost of repairing the stadium and who will pay for those repairs?

It is too early to determine the exact cost of repairing problems at Eagle Stadium. We will also keep track of associated costs incurred by the school district as a result of the closure. These costs will include rental of facilities and loss of revenue if the stadium is closed for any football games. The school district intends to require that these and other costs that may come up related to the stadium closure are paid by the responsible party or parties and not the Allen taxpayers.

Why not start any necessary repairs on the stadium right away?

The school district hired a third party engineering firm to first review the concrete cracking problem and then to conduct a thorough review of the entire project. No work can begin until the Board of Trustees and school administration feel they have an impartial and complete analysis of the project. This is done to ensure the safety of our students and patrons. It is also done to guarantee that the work ultimately done will restore the stadium to the high quality the school district and community expect and have already paid for. The Datum Engineering firm is already looking at solutions based on the Nelson Engineering study to help expedite the process.

What is the district doing to keep students, parents and the community informed?

Our new superintendent, Dr. Lance Hindt, is speaking to the news media so the public understands the proactive steps the district has taken to be sure the problem is fixed properly. This page has been added to the AISD website and we will be providing updates as they are made public. We plan on using social media, where appropriate, to communicate. We are committed to providing students, staff and area residents straight-forward information in a timely manner.

Allen Eagle Stadium 2013- 2014 Facts and Figures

Seating Capacity

18,000 / 9,000 home side including 1,000 seats set aside for Escadrille, 4,000 in end zone for students and general admission and 5,000 seats for visitor general admission and reserved sections

Number of Bench-back Seats

6,500 reserved bench seats with bench backs including 5,000 on home side and 1,500 reserved on visitor side

General Admission Seats

Approximately 5,000

Ticket Prices

The adult price is $6 in advance and $8 at the gate for general admission. Reserved seating is $8 in advance and $10 at the gate if available

Season Ticket Sales

A total of 8,252 season tickets were sold for the 2013 varsity football season.

There are no more season tickets available.

Parking Spaces

5,034 spaces

Property Dimensions

Stadium sits on 72 acres

Field Turf

“RealGrass Matrix by Hellas”

Stadium Contractor and Architect

Pogue Construction and PBK Architects

Admission Time

Gates open 90 minutes before start of game (generally 6 p.m.)

Parking Lots

There are no designated home or away parking areas. Fans may enter from Greenville Avenue or Rivercrest Boulevard

Parking Fee

There is no parking charge for Allen ISD events. Parking fees apply to non-Allen ISD events, such as playoff games, and will vary by event.

Scoreboard

Daktronics scoreboard 75’ x 45’ with 38’ x 23’ HD screen

Press Box

Each floor of the press box is approx. 140’ x 42’ The main level is primarily a film deck with areas for scouts and athletics staff. The second floor is primarily operations and media support. The third floor is for coaches, hospitality and a judges’ area for band competition.

Additional Facility Usage

There is a practice area for men’s and women’s golf with nets below the home stands. A 5,800 sq. ft. wrestling practice area and locker room has been added on the home side. The wrestling locker room will also be used for home team lockers other than Allen High School. A weight room (268’ x 42’) has been added under the visitor side for use by boys and girls athletics.

Last Modified on June 19, 2014