Early plans for Kyle Field rebuild released

Courtesy of Chron.com

By Brent Zwerneman |

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Kyle Field is due for a makeover.

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle / © 2012 Houston Chronicle

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M's redevelopment of Kyle Field will include demolition of its west side and old G. Rollie White Coliseum, according to early plans released to solicit bids for the project. But Jason Cook, A&M's vice president for marketing and communications, cautioned nothing is concrete.

"We're still very early in the process with many significant decisions to be made," Cook said Tuesday.

Those decisions include a final verdict on whether the Aggies will play a season or two away from Kyle during its rebuild - although that doesn't appear likely based on the request for proposal (RFP). The construction is proposed for multiple phases, according to the RFP, and "the phasing must be scheduled such that Kyle Field can continue to host home football games during the regular collegiate football season(s)."

A&M intends to begin the rebuild in earnest immediately following the 2013 season. Highlights of the early plans include the demolition of G. Rollie, where the Aggies haven't played basketball since 1997, and the Read Building on Kyle's east side, along with that side's lower seating area.

The preliminary west-side (closest to Wellborn Road) plans are more extensive. They include tearing out the west stands, adding six rows of seats closer to the field, and "at ground level … a grand indoor plaza that will allow for large indoor gatherings as well as a connection to the outside tailgating areas directly adjacent to the stadium," according to the RFP. The Netum Steed workout complex also will face the wrecking ball.

In addition, early plans call for a south-side upper deck. The field will also be lowered about seven feet and shifted 18 feet to the south to improve sightlines, according to the RFP. The document also states the completion date should be no later than August 2016.

"These are conceptual plans that are certainly open to change as discussions continue," Cook reiterated, adding that a projected capacity for the new Kyle Field "has not been decided." The project also doesn't have a final price tag, although early estimates put it in the $450-million range.

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