Safety fears force closure of $60-million high school football stadium

It looks like $60 million doesn’t get you much these days after a Texas high school was forced to close its big-budget football stadium for the entire 2014 season because of structural problems.

The decision to close Allen High School’s $60-million Eagle Stadium in Allen, Texas, came after a group of consultants hired by the school district identified “design deficiencies” that reduce the safety and strength of an elevated concourse and put the stadium in violation of building codes.

The 19-month-old stadium was closed Feb. 27 after cracks began showing on the concourse.

The full extent of the damage will not be known until June, when structural engineers complete their study and report back to the district.

“The deficiencies are outside of acceptable margins for error, and indicate conditions which will require repair/strengthening for the structure to be brought into conformance with the applicable building code,” says the report filed by consulting firm Nelson Forensics.

The Allen High football team will play its home games this season in nearby Plano.