Dynamo, fans excited as new stadium takes shape

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Dynamo president Chris Canetti gives at least one tour a day at BBVA Compass Stadium to media, prospective clients or fans he invites on Twitter.

His sales staff gives about 25 tours a week to prospective clients.

Lately, most of the tours start through a makeshift door that leads into the players' tunnel. Then Canetti lets his visitors walk out of the tunnel to envision the steps Tally Hall, Brad Davis and the rest of the Dynamo will make on their way to the pitch.

As seen from the tunnel, it doesn't take much imagination to envision what the stadium will look like when it's complete. With a little imagination, though, one can practically hear the Texian Army and El Batallon's drums at the southeast corner supporters' section.

"We've been able to bring a lot of people out here and walk through that tunnel and let them go, 'Wow,' " Canetti said. "This place sells itself. So getting people in the building, letting them stand exactly where their seats are going to be, and showing them around is a great selling point. It's a tool we've never had. It's really going very well."

Three months before the Dynamo hold their first event at the venue May 10 and officially open it May 12, BBVA Compass Stadium is almost complete.

The floodlights are installed and routinely on at night.

Seat installation and sod laying continues at the BBVA Compass Stadium where the Houston Dynamo soccer team will soon be playing, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Houston. The state-of-the-art, open-air stadium is designed to host Dynamo matches as well as additional sporting and concert events. When it opens in 2012, the 22,000-seat stadium will be the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer located in a city's downtown district. less Seat installation and sod laying continues at the BBVA Compass Stadium where the Houston Dynamo soccer team will soon be playing, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Houston. The state-of-the-art, open-air stadium is ... more Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 29 Caption Close Dynamo, fans excited as new stadium takes shape 1 / 29 Back to Gallery

"Nothing's necessarily finished per se, but it's nice to walk around," Canetti said. "You can see what is going to be the final version of almost everything. You can walk into a suite. You can walk into a locker room. You can walk into the club. You can see where the bathrooms are. You can see where the concessions are."

Workers began installing the pitch's sod Wednesday. That job should be complete by the weekend. The orange seats have been installed through most of the southwest corner of the upper bowl.

Academy match

Three months from Friday, BBVA Compass Stadium will host its first game, an exhibition with the Dynamo Academy. Canetti is lining up an opponent for the match, which will serve as a dress rehearsal for the team and season-ticket holders two days ahead of the opener against D.C. United.

"Every player is excited to see the progress of the stadium, especially when we get to drive by it," Hall said. "Even guys around the league are talking about how cool the stadium looks.

"My guess is there are even players who are getting used to colder climates who will look forward to the heat and playing in the new stadium."

After playing their first six seasons at UH's Robertson Stadium, the Dynamo are eager to have their own soccer-specific stadium. The 22,000-seat stadium has lower and upper bowls, but the upper bowl is the equivalent of the concourse at Minute Maid Park.

Season-ticket sales are at an all-time high for the franchise. Current season-ticket holders have been offered an exclusive window to purchase up to 20 extra tickets for the opener until next Wednesday.

High demand

The Dynamo could top 10,000 season tickets for the first time.

"We're 90 percent to our goal," Canetti said. "We're 80 percent up on where we ended last year. Right now, we would be in the top five in the league in season-ticket total.

"We're quite pleased with what we've accomplished so far. Sales over the last few weeks have picked up tremendously. I sense that even fans are getting excited about this."

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