Ken Pridgeon Stadium Pressbox

Introduction

With two stadiums serving 12 high schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, football and soccer nights in Northwest Houston are full of excitement. The Ken Pridgeon Stadium and the Cy-Fair FCU Stadium host games throughout the fall and spring, with fans, students, parents, and players enjoying the facilities.

Originally built in 1977, the Ken Pridgeon Stadium received $40 million for upgrades scheduled to be completed in two parts. The first renovation in 2014 saw updates to parking lot lighting, drainage, and parking lot concrete. In 2016, renovations included a new natatorium seating 950 people, a new two-story press box, ticket booths, restrooms, concessions stand, and an elevator to the press box.

The  Story

In 2021, the stadium press box was damaged during a winter storm as overhead pipes burst, ruining existing wall paneling. The school district requested a wall surface that could withstand the same type of damaging water event in the future and have the durability of performance for the east-facing exposure. The design team chose Crossville Porcelain Tile Panels by Laminam which provided the required performance capabilities and added beautiful style to the space.

The team specified Crossville’s I Naturali porcelain tile panels in the Ossidiana Vena Chiara colorway to be applied throughout the press box, conference areas, and individual coaches and media spaces. The designers created a high-impact interior scheme integrating a stunning travertine aesthetic in the high-traffic area. The porcelain tile panels—with outer dimensions measured in feet yet a profile of only 3 mm in thickness—were quickly and easily installed with minimal grout lines providing a seamless style. 

The installation called for angled walls down sets of stairs, transitioning to wall spaces. The design team addressed every detail to create a space that looked brand new. Additionally, the team worked closely with Crossville to specify the appropriate setting materials and grout for the east-facing wall to receive the utmost performance.