Brand-new Tomball ISD Stadium on Schedule to Open in Summer (Source: Houston Chronicle)

By Alvaro Montano

Construction on Tomball ISD’s brand-new district stadium and community center, part of the Elmer & Dorothy Beckendorf Educational Complex, is on schedule to be completed and officially open this summer. The project was made possible by Bond 2017, a $275 million bond package.

Tomball ISD Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora said the project suffered complications due to unexpected and unforeseen challenges but will fortunately be opening as projected. She said Hurricane Harvey created some problems due to building code changes.

Salazar-Zamora said the school district has had a great working relationship with partners Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), which has allowed them to continue forward to meet the timeline.

“We are on the initial timeline despite some weather and other construction challenges,” Salazar-Zamora said.

The bond package provided funds for numerous new facilities for students, staff and the surrounding community. Aside from the stadium and community center, Grand Oaks Elementary School and Grand Lakes Junior High School will also be part of the complex located at Cypress Rosehill Road and State Highway 99.

There’s also a natatorium for Tomball Memorial High School and an agricultural science project center for Tomball High School.

There have been no changes to the budgets, LAN program manager Robert Wilbanks said. The total budget on the new district stadium and two-level community center is projected to be approximately $48.5 million with a construction budget of $42.6 million.