Upgrades to historic Alamo Stadium nearly done

Renovations, including the installation of new seating, is nearly done at Alamo Stadium. Renovations, including the installation of new seating, is nearly done at Alamo Stadium. Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer / San Antonio Express-News Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer / San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Upgrades to historic Alamo Stadium nearly done 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Renovations for historic Alamo Stadium are almost complete, and local news media toured it Tuesday ahead of a public dedication Saturday.

The weekend event will highlight millions of dollars in bond-funded upgrades, including a new football and soccer field, a redesigned press box and a digital, college-sized scoreboard.

More importantly, school officials noted, dozens of changes small and large have made the venerable, 74-year-old stadium comply with the Americans with Disability Act for the first time.

San Antonio Independent School District Superintendent Sylvester Perez shielded his eyes from the mid-morning glare as he lauded district officials who oversaw the project and the design and construction teams that made it a reality.

“We're very proud that we dealt with the very sensitive issue of honoring the past,” Perez said, a nod to the local, state and federal historic designation requirements the work had to meet.

The stadium and its adjacent Convocation Center received $35 million in upgrades as part of a $515 million bond package voters approved in 2010. Perez said both projects came in “on time and within budget.”

Upgrades include state-of-the-art turf striped for both football and soccer, a 44-by-24-foot digital scoreboard, an all-weather track, refurbished concession stands, new aluminum benches, renovated locker rooms and bathroom upgrades that have replaced “urinal troughs.”

Interim Athletic Director Frank Arnold, who said he played in the stadium back in the 1950s, said student athletes and spirit groups will have “a facility second to none.”

Associate Superintendent for Facilities and Construction Kamal ElHabr said seating capacity at the stadium was reduced to make room for a wider soccer field but said it can still seat about 20,000 people, one of the largest in the state for high school sports.

The site was deemed a state archaeological landmark in 2012 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The designations required design approval by local and state agencies.

“I think the historic elements were an unexpected twist but we are very proud of the process and very happy to call it historic,” ElHabr said.

The “Rockpile,” as it's affectionately called, was at the center of controversy three years ago when community members found out that the parent company of the San Antonio Spurs had been in talks with SAISD officials about the renovations.

Spurs, Sports & Entertainment was looking to bring a professional soccer team to the city, and critics worried it was influencing decisions about the stadium upgrades.

At one point, board members were considering removing the track from the stadium to make room for a wider field that could accommodate professional soccer.

School board member Patti Radle, who was vocal about her concerns at the time and staged a news conference to vent her frustrations, came out Tuesday to celebrate the stadium's completion, noting the track was included after the board agreed to a slightly smaller soccer field.

Radle did not vote for that option but still sees the stadium's completion as a success.

“Today I celebrate with everyone else that the track is here,” she said. “It's a beautiful facility.”

mcesar@express-news.net

Twitter: @mlcesar