Staff Report
School officials are preparing to move forward with the next phase of the proposed Hewitt-Trussville football stadium. The new stadium will be located behind the Trussville Civic Center
. The Trussville Tribune recently held a Question and Answer interview with Trussville Schools’ Building and Facilities Director, Shawn Nutting, about the design of the new football stadium. Following is a summary of Nutting’s answers to the Tribune’s questions:
Q: When do you anticipate construction beginning?
A: We hope to break ground in November, if we have clearance from the Army Corps of Engineers, and we hope to play football in the new stadium for the 2013 season.
Q: Tell us about the capacity of the new stadium.
A: The current stadium has a capacity of 4,467. The new stadium will have seating for over 400 additional people, with a capacity of 4,910. Average attendance at home games is just above 2,500 people, although, this year’s Paws and Claws attendance was estimated at 5,224. The home stands will be able to seat 3,470, while visitor’s stands will seat 1,440. The bleachers are designed for possible expansion and temporary bleachers can be brought in for larger crowds.
Q: Will parking be increased and easily accessible?
A: The parking lots at HTHS and HTMS will be accessible to the stadium, with additional parking in two areas. One parking lot will be on the home side and the other on the visitor’s side. The lot on the visitor’s side includes an area for visiting buses and semi-trailers. Also, if all goes as planned, Husky Parkway should be completed before the time the stadium opens.
Q: What will be different about the new stadium, compared to Jack Wood Stadium?
A: The new stadium space will feature larger space for track and field, with an eight lane track, larger concessions, larger locker rooms and a larger press box. There will also be a separate band locker room. The design features a larger visitor locker room and cheerleading practice area. In addition to the larger press box, a hospitality area will be located below the coaches’ area in the press box. The use of space also provides an area for medical care and an area specifically for referees. There will be a substantial increase in restrooms, with most on the ground floor of the press box and the rest on the visitor side. In addition, the new stadium will have two concession stands on the home side and one on the visitor’s side.
Q: What is the anticipated cost of the new stadium project?
A: The estimated cost of the new stadium is $7 million and will feature a raised tailgating area with a view of the end zone.
Q: Are there any specifications that the new stadium project will have to meet?
A: The stadium will meet and, in some cases, exceed AHSAA 6A specs. It is handicap accessible, including parking, seating, restrooms and elevator. It has greatly improved ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility.