Spring ISD's new 8,000-seat stadium won't open in time for start of football season

SPRING, Texas (KTRK) -- Nearly a year after breaking ground, Spring ISD's new 8,000-seat football stadium will open later than expected. It had been slated to be ready before the end of August.

The new venue is located at 23802 Cypresswood Dr., and the district touted its new features, including a state-of-the-art video scoreboard system and "great views from every seat."

Spring ISD said the stadium's opening is now projected by mid-October.

RELATED: Spring ISD breaks ground on new 8,000-seat stadium

According to the district, construction was faced with weather-related setbacks over the last year.

"We knew last fall's heavy rains were going to pose a challenge to the schedule," said Mark Miranda, Spring ISD's Chief Operations Officer. "But over the past seven months, the teams working on the project made a tremendous push to make up for lost time. It's become clear, though, that there just aren't enough hours in the day to complete all the finishing work by the end of August."

As for the start of the football season, teams will kick off from Leonard George Stadium, the 51-year-old venue that the new stadium is replacing.

Ground-breaking on the stadium's 117-acre parcel of land took place in September 2018.

The stadium was funded from a voter-approved bond program worth $330 million. That bond program also underwrites three ninth-grade centers, two new middle schools, renovations at four other stadiums, and campus security upgrades.

In June, the district announced car dealership Planet Ford was awarded the stadium's exclusive naming rights through a 10-year, $750,000 deal.

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