After five years of negotiations, the Houston Dynamo’s downtown stadium finally celebrated a groundbreaking on February 5, 2011. When the 22,000-seat venue opens in mid-2012, the players, coaches, employees, and fans will finally have a home to call their own. The stadium has been designed by Populous, the firm that designed new Yankee Stadium in New York, as an iconic piece of architecture that echoes both the rich industrial heritage of the urban East Downtown site and the Dynamo’s aspirations to be an elite brand in North American soccer. The stadium will be located closer to downtown than any other American stadium built for soccer, while its clear sightlines and intimate setting will make it unique among Houston stadiums. Combine those factors with the passion of Houston soccer fans and the team’s vibrant orange, and a gameday at the Dynamo’s new stadium will be like no other. Situated on a six-block urban site near other Houston landmarks such as Minute Maid Park, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the Toyota Center, the new stadium will be easily accessible for patrons from the entire Houston metropolitan area. The stadium will be recognizable thanks in part to its distinctive facade. The stadium skin will consist of tessellated aluminum mesh, enclosing the stadium while also allowing air to circulate throughout the facility. Inside the stadium, fans will utilize one wide concourse to access both lower and upper sections. Fans throughout the stadium, from field-side seats to luxury suites to upper-bowl sections, will feel like part of the game action thanks to their proximity to the playing surface. In 2012, when orange-clad fans erupt after a Dynamo goal, soccer in
Houston will finally have its new home.