Good Stadium Design: Managing logistics to create great user experiences
Article by Mark Shrift, Sports Design Group Lead
As a landscape architect, I have led and been part of the design team for numerous new stadiums and stadium renovations for small colleges and high schools across the mid-Atlantic region. Over my 35-year career, I have primarily focused on sports facility design, from courts to fields to stadiums. My experience in sports facility planning has taught me both the complexity involved in building a stadium and the importance of good design in creating a high performing facility. While we have been involved in numerous projects across Pennsylvania over the past 8 years since I joined JMT, we also aim to grow this niche service line throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
When designing a new stadium, there are many logistical considerations involved, and if the stadium is designed well, they will be invisible to the space’s users and visitors. Stadiums are a place where students and the community come together to celebrate and cheer on their local sports teams, bands, and cheerleaders. It is these atmospheres that make Friday nights such a great experience. In addition to home team sporting events, stadiums are also used for district and state playoff games, community events, and graduation ceremonies. A well-designed sports facility creates a great experience for users and spectators alike, as well as a safe environment for all. The stadium must balance aesthetics and functionality while serving as a source of pride for the community.
The main logistical considerations when designing a new stadium include the following:
- How do the players access the facility, both upon arrival and while moving between the locker rooms and the field;
- How does the band access the facility upon arrival and while moving from the grandstands to the field;
- How do spectators access the stadium, concessions, and restrooms;
- And how do emergency vehicles access the site and, if necessary, the field?
ADA accessible routes must be provided for each of these different user groups. This means that we have to account for buses, trailers with equipment, food trucks, cars, emergency vehicles, and pedestrians – all of whom need to move efficiently and safely through the site.
In addition to the logistics of moving people safely and efficiently, we must think about the program elements that make up a stadium–ticketing, seating, concessions, restrooms, lighting (including emergency lighting), scoreboard, public address system, security cameras, fencing, running track, playing surface, and field equipment, such as goals, benches, and press boxes, all of which are influenced by what specific sports are to be played in the stadium. The sports to be played also often dictate the size of the facility.
Infrastructure needs must also be addressed, including electric service, communication lines, gas, sanitary sewer, water service, and stormwater management, all of which are vital to a new stadium facility.
These are just some of the many elements that must be considered when designing a stadium.
Given this complexity, there are several design professionals needed to design a stadium well, including landscape architects, architects, civil engineers, surveyors, geotechnical engineers, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers, and interior designers. Each discipline plays an important role in the success of these types of facilities. At JMT, we continue to build strong teams of professionals to take on complex sports projects. Our One JMT philosophy and collaborative mindset provide an advantage –we can provide all the services needed to design a successful facility in house.
I am currently the project manager for a new stadium design for the Derry Township School District in Hershey, PA, which exemplifies the complexity of designing and constructing a stadium.
Nearly 20 years ago I developed a master plan that would provide the infrastructure to someday allow for the buildout of a new stadium at Hershey High School. At that time, field light poles were setback from the playing surface to allow unobstructed views to the field, and a concession and restroom building was constructed with the intent that one day it would serve the visitor side of the stadium. Space was allotted for the construction of grandstands on the home and visitor sides of the field, and for the construction of a new entry to the future stadium. Infrastructure elements were put in place so as not to disrupt the existing facilities.
I also reconfigured the traffic circulation on the school’s 110-acre campus to improve safety and traffic flow and accommodate parking for after-school events, including sporting events in the future stadium.
Now, my team and I have returned to Hershey, PA, to design that new stadium for Hershey High School, implementing the master plan from 2008.
Derry Township School District has played varsity football at Hershey Park Stadium for many years, but the district received notice in July 2024 that its Memorandum of Understanding with the Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company would be terminated, as Hershey Park continues to be a popular destination for concerts and other events.
The high school’s new stadium will fill the resulting gap while also improving the district’s scheduling flexibility and giving the athletes the experience of playing on campus under their own “Friday Night Lights.”
We are currently designing a new, identifiable entrance into the complex that will include a large entry plaza with ticket booths and a covered area to protect visitors from the elements.
Two unique elements will be incorporated into the new entry plaza: a new sculpture for which the final concept has not yet been revealed, and a monument that memorializes a former student athlete.
I am working with a local artist on the sculpture that will become a feature at the new entry plaza inside the stadium. We anticipate the central location of this sculpture will become a favorite spot to take photos of children, graduates, and other visitors for many years to come.
In addition, we are developing a memorial on site that is dedicated to Michael Horrocks, a former student and football player at Hershey High School–and one of the pilots who was killed on September 11, 2001. The memorial, which serves as a gathering space for students and community members, will be a prominent feature at the new entrance to the stadium and a constant reminder of history.
These two unique elements will impact the way that people move to and through the entry plaza. With the entry plaza set to become a community gathering space, our design must consider the ease and accessibility of getting to the campus, parking, and accessing the stadium and its facilities, even as some visitors pause for reflection or a photo.
Behind the scenes, infrastructure elements were previously upgraded to accommodate the build-out of the stadium, but some of these elements must be revisited. While the stormwater management system was originally designed to accommodate the full build-out, the codes have changed, and we must alter the plan to meet today’s codes. Sanitary sewer and water service lines have been extended to serve the site in an earlier project, so we will only have to provide new water and sewer laterals to serve the new building.
Adding to the complexity, we are also developing a new restroom building, a new area for food trucks for concession, new entrances to the stadium for the players and bands, and emergency access.
This project illustrates the importance of a well thought out master plan, especially when constructing a project with multiple phases over a long period of time. Hershey High School’s new stadium is anticipated to be constructed for the Fall of 2026 football season, finally concluding this two-decades-long project.
While the infrastructure needs and logistical considerations are complex and numerous, today’s stadiums must continue to be flexible and adaptable to accommodate a variety of activities and events other than the traditional sporting events. Stadium design is constantly evolving with emerging trends, evolving technology, and constant improvements to field surfacing. As designers, we must continually challenge ourselves to stay current on these trends to create high performing facilities and create spaces that generate excitement, create a sense of community, and allow for social engagement while providing cost effective solutions and long-term value for the owners.
To connect with Mark and learn more about his work in landscape architecture and sports facility design, visit our athletics spotlight page. For more details on the Hershey High School stadium project, visit our Hershey High School stadium page.