A $60 million renovation on the west side of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium will add premium suites, club seating, expanded concourses, and modern broadcast facilities ahead of the 2026 football season.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A sweeping expansion and renovation at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium is nearing completion, bringing new premium seating areas, expanded concourses, modern broadcasting facilities, and upgraded amenities that university officials say will reshape the game-day experience at Sam Houston State University. The multi-level addition rising above the west side of the stadium is visible across much of Huntsville, signaling one of the most significant athletic facility upgrades in the university’s history.
"This project is a massive undertaking," said Joseph Reed, Director of Development for Sam Houston State University Athletics, during a walkthrough of the construction site. “This Bowers project can be seen from all over campus — it’s a big statement.”
The renovation is part of a major investment approved in August 2024 by the Texas State University System Board of Regents and represents roughly $60 million in improvements to the west side of the stadium, replacing the aging press box structure with a modern multi-level facility designed to serve both fans and media.
The project is designed to serve multiple purposes: elevate the fan experience, create new revenue streams through premium seating and suites, modernize media and broadcasting operations, and support the continued growth of Sam Houston athletics.
Bowers Stadium originally opened in 1986 and has long served as the home of Bearkat football. The renovation represents the most significant structural upgrade to the venue since it first opened.
University officials say the project is expected to be substantially complete in June 2026, positioning the Bearkats to return to a fully upgraded stadium ahead of the upcoming football season.
Because of the construction timeline, the Bearkats played their 2025 home football schedule at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston while work continued at Bowers Stadium.
During the tour, Reed noted that relocating the games allowed the renovation project to move forward without limiting stadium access during construction.
Alumni leadership working on the project
One notable aspect of the construction effort is the number of Sam Houston alumni involved in managing the project.
“Myself, my project manager, my assistant superintendent, and my project engineer are all Houston graduates,” said Justin Howell, superintendent with Hoar Construction, the company overseeing the project.
“I’ve got one intern out here right now that’s still in school. I hired an intern last semester. He’s since been moved to another project, and then my project engineer was an intern when we first started this, and now he’s on full-time out here.”
The team sees the work as a chance to give back to the university and the Huntsville community.
“It really kind of speaks to the education here and just kind of giving back to Sam Houston and Huntsville,” Howell said. “We’re really proud of that.”
Hoar Construction is overseeing the project, while the architecture firm DLR Group is handling the design of the new stadium.
Five levels of new stadium space
The project adds a five-story structure overlooking the field, replacing the original press box with a roughly 60,000-square-foot facility that includes expanded interior space, premium seating, and new fan amenities.
During a tour of the site, project leaders described the flow of the new facility from the ground level up through the premium seating areas and broadcasting floors.
Visitors will first enter through an expanded concourse area that includes concessions, restrooms, elevators, and the team store.
The first floor will serve as the main entry point for fans, with ticketing areas, storage, and the stadium team store.
When fans enter through the main west-side entrance and move up the grand staircase, they will be greeted with a direct line of sight to the 50-yard line, a design choice intended to immediately connect visitors with the action on the field.
The building’s ground level also serves as the primary west-side stadium entrance, designed to improve fan circulation and access compared to the older facility.
Concessions will also be redesigned to improve efficiency and reduce wait times.
“One of the concessions is staffed, and the other is self-serve to reduce wait time," Reed explained.
Restroom capacity is also increasing significantly to better serve large game-day crowds.
Behind the concourse area, Howell noted that a newly constructed restroom facility will help address long-standing congestion during major events
The concourse itself will now also be covered — a major improvement over the previous layout.
“This was not covered before,” Howell said. “The original building stopped right here.”
Major exterior design elements
The exterior of the structure features multiple architectural materials, including metal panels, masonry, and architectural block.
A large Bearkat paw logo will be displayed prominently on the gray metal panel facade, while brick sections will feature lettering identifying Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.
The building’s scale has already made it one of the most noticeable structures near campus.
“You can see it from Highway 2821 over there,” Howell said, referencing the nearby roadway that runs past the university. “You can see it everywhere.”
Club level designed for premium experience
The third level of the structure will serve as a premium club area for season ticket holders.
The club will include indoor lounge space, televisions, bar areas, and access to an outdoor patio overlooking the field.
“When you come off the elevator, you’ll see TV screens, lounge space, and bar areas,” Reed said.
The space will feature several high-end design elements, including architectural wood ceilings, specialty lighting, and glass railings overlooking the stadium.
“There’s going to be a huge LCD display on that wall,” Howell said. “You’ve got architectural wood slat ceilings with pendulum lights. It’s going to be really cool.”
Outside the club area, a patio will be finished with pavers and metal railings, designed to match the building’s orange exterior panels.
“It’s going to be something that the University, Bearkat Alumni, Fans, and Community can be proud of,” Reed added.
The club area functions as a premium hospitality space, combining indoor lounge seating with outdoor viewing areas overlooking the playing field.
Premium seating and season ticket boxes
The club level will also include exclusive premium seating areas.
Small private boxes seating four people will be installed along the level and sold as premium season ticket packages.
“There’ll be boxes here that seat four,” Reed said. “Those are being sold as a premium ticket for the season.”
Below the club area, approximately 225 season ticket holders will occupy premium seating sections overlooking the field.
Stadium suites nearly sold out
Above the club level, the new building includes a full suite level.
There are 12 suites total — six on each side of the building — along with a larger double suite reserved for the university president.
Each suite will accommodate about 16 guests.
“These suites are being sold on a five-year lease,” Reed said. “Each suite will be reserved for five years.”
The cost for a suite lease is about $250,000 over the five-year term.
The president’s suite in the center of the level will be larger, accommodating roughly 25 to 30 guests.
Overall, the renovation significantly expands the stadium’s premium seating inventory, creating new hospitality and sponsorship opportunities for the athletics program.
Broadcast and media upgrades
The top floor of the new building will house the stadium’s broadcast and media facilities.
This level will include booths for radio broadcasters, television crews, coaching staff, and press operations.
“All your coaching staff, broadcast booths, audiovisual guys, scoreboard operations, press box, and sound will be on this level,” Howell said.
The renovation includes a new modern media center and broadcast infrastructure designed to support television, radio, and digital game coverage.
Modern broadcast infrastructure is being installed throughout the facility, including fiber connections linking the stadium to the university’s production systems.
Coordinating those systems has required collaboration between several technical departments. Despite the complexity, Howell said the end result will significantly modernize the stadium’s production capabilities.
Stadium improvements build on earlier upgrades
The expansion follows several earlier improvements to Bowers Stadium, including field upgrades and the removal of the track that once surrounded the football field.
The stadium has undergone several phases of modernization over the past few years.
“We’ve been pretty involved with a lot of the stuff out here,” Howell added.
The renovation also aligns with Sam Houston’s transition into Conference USA and FBS-level football, where upgraded facilities have become increasingly important for recruiting, fan experience, and national exposure.
New ADA infrastructure required major earthwork
One of the largest engineering challenges involved bringing the stadium grounds into compliance with modern accessibility standards.
Because the stadium was originally built in the 1970s, ADA requirements did not exist at the time.
To comply with modern regulations, crews had to significantly reshape the terrain around the stadium.
“We brought in 600 loads of dirt to make this sidewalk compliant,” Howell said.
Each load represented a full dump truck of soil used to reshape slopes and construct retaining walls around the facility.
“Obviously, in the ’70s, they weren’t worried about ADA compliance,” Howell added.
Designed to attract fans and supporters
Ultimately, the goal of the renovation is to create a more welcoming and engaging environment for fans, alumni, and business partners.
University leadership wanted the stadium experience to serve both athletics and community engagement.
“President White’s focus was that she wanted something where you could bring your friends and family to a game,” Reed said. “Or bring clients to a game and treat them.”
The upgraded suites, club areas, and premium seating spaces are designed to provide those experiences.
Standing inside the unfinished club level overlooking the field, Reed reflected on what the atmosphere would be like once the stadium opens fully.
“It’s going to have a great atmosphere — it is where people are going to want to be,” he said.