The Sam Houston State University recently opened the renovated Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas (US) complex featuring a new Press Box, the premium hospitality spaces and the upgraded amenities to support the stadium programming.
The objective of the Elliott T. Bowers Stadium redecoration is to provide a versatile venue experience to the fans.
‘Stantec’ stated that the Elliott T. Bowers Stadium was designed by Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, in partnership with the DLR Group.
The Sam Houston State University is a public research university in Huntsville, Texas, United States. Founded in 1879, it is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas.
The Elliott T. Bowers Stadium is a 14,000-seat multipurpose stadium in Huntsville, Texas (US).
Edmonton (Canada)-based Stantec empowers the clients, the people and the communities to rise to the world’s greatest challenges at a time when the world faces more unprecedented concerns than ever before. Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture and environmental consulting. Their professionals deliver the expertise, technology, and innovation the communities need to manage the aging infrastructure, the demographic, the population changes, the energy transition, and more.
Stantec designs the athletics facilities, the student-athlete performance centers and the event venues that strengthen recruitment, the fan engagement and the campus life. The firm’s experience spans both higher education and the K-12 athletics (the organized sports programs for the children from Kindergarten [K] through 12th grade [ages roughly 5 to 18] within the school system) including the stadiums, the training facilities and the multiuse venues that support the programming the year round.
Celebrating 60 years in 2026, the DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering sustainable, human-centered solutions for the communities locally and globally. The firm’s architects, the engineers, the interior designers, and the planners collaborate with the public and the private sector clients to create projects with the long-lasting social, economic and environmental value. The DLR Group’s promise is to elevate the human experience through design. As a 100 percent employee-owned firm the DLR Group fosters a culture of ownership and accountability that shapes its daily practice and drives its commitment to the sustainability initiatives.
Stantec served as the prime consultant leading the site design and the exterior architecture while also contributing to the interior design, the construction documentation and the construction administration.
The DLR Group acted as the sports consultant providing the program design, the sightline studies and the select elements of the interior design scope.
Improved Circulation
‘Stantec’ further stated that originally built in 1986, the Bowers Stadium required upgrades to address the aging infrastructure, the accessibility requirements and the evolving expectations for the collegiate athletics venues. The project replaces the existing Press Box with a modern facility that supports the contemporary broadcasting and gameday operations while introducing the new hospitality areas and the improved circulation.
‘Flexible Spaces’
Stated Scott Klaus, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), Principal and Sports and Recreation Global Leader, Stantec, “The college athletic facilities today have to support much more than the game itself. At the Bowers Stadium, together with our partner DLR, we helped the university improve how people experience the venue, from the way the fans move through the concourse to how the athletes connect to the field, while creating flexible spaces that serve the program year-round.”
‘Versatile Stadium Experience’
Added Greg Garlock, AIA, LEED AP, Building Design Code (BD+C), DLR Group Principal and Sports Design Leader, “From Day One, the goal was to create a more engaging and versatile stadium experience that meets the evolving expectations of today’s student-athletes and the fans. This renovation enhances how the people move through and connect within the venue while introducing the premium spaces and the modern amenities that will support the Sam Houston State University’s athletics program and the broader campus community well into the future.”
Designing a Versatile Environment
The renovation introduces the premium hospitality areas and the flexible gathering spaces designed to support multiple uses throughout the year. The VIP lounge, for example, can also serve as a dining space for the student-athletes.
Layered Views
The circulation and the sightlines were also central to the design. A new patio deck adjacent to the VIP lounge expands the gathering space and connects directly to the concourse through a bridge thus creating layered views of the field, the fans and the stadium activity. The stadium is also designed to support events beyond football on Saturday including the campus gatherings, the wedding receptions and the corporate events.
Supporting the Future of Collegiate Athletics
Across the United States many universities are upgrading the stadiums built in the 1970s and the 1980s to address the outdated infrastructure while adapting to the changing expectations from the fans, the athletes and the donors. Increasingly, the institutions are prioritizing a broader range of fan environments, the premium seating options and the spaces that support both the athletics operations and the campus use.
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