Case Study: Kyle Field at Texas A&MWords: EchelonPhotos: EchelonThe $450 million redevelopment of Texas A&M’s football stadium, Kyle Field, was one of the most high-profile projects in Echelon and Amerimix history. With the renovation, Kyle Field’s capacity increased to 102,733, making it the biggest college stadium in both Texas and the SEC.Located in the heart of Texas A&M’s campus in College Station, the redeveloped Kyle Field honors the university’s history while reflecting the enthusiasm and innovative attitude shared by its student-athletes and fans alike.“It is literally … the spiritual home of the 12th Man,” former A&M chancellor John Sharp said in reference to the Aggies’ student body, which stands the entire game to show their support for the 11 men on the playing field.The Story Of The RenovationThe project was completed in two phases. Phase one was the student section, located on the east side of the field, behind the visitors’ bench. It’s an unconventional choice in college football, but it’s one of the reasons Kyle Field is ranked among the most intimidating venues in the sport. Phase two was the main side, or the parent side. Phase two called for the demolition of the original stadium construction.Echelon provided over 400,000 blocks, including TRENDSTONE PLUS, a filled-and-polished ground-face masonry unit with the look of a smooth terrazzo finish. The product offers one-step installation, a maintenance-free finish, an easy-to-clean surface, and is available in a wide range of sizes and colors. It is also graffiti- and mold-resistant and resilient to damage from fire, impact, and moisture. In addition to TRENDSTONE PLUS, brick was another important design element of Kyle Field.Amerimix Preblended Core Fill Grout was used throughout the entire project, along with a variety of Amerimix custom-colored mortars that provide long-lasting, uniform color throughout the depth of the mortar joints. Numerous colors were custom-designed specifically for the hues of Kyle Field. Three masonry companies utilized the grout and mortar products to complete the project under the watchful eye of Texas A&M officials who needed the stadium ready for the Aggies’ opening game of the season against Ball State. For all three masons, the Amerimix color and product quality remained consistent throughout the project.The Advantages Of A Single Source“This was an extremely high-volume and high-profile job, and Amerimix and Echelon provided us numerous advantages,” stated Camarata Masonry project manager Rene Lozano. “They offered us a full product line, so we could get everything from a single source, which meant a streamlined job and one company standing behind all the products.”In addition, Amerimix mortar and grout are preblended, eliminating the need for on-site blending. This was beneficial in two ways for the project:All the guesswork was removed for the three masonry companies installing the brick and blocks.There was no need for sand piles, resulting in a cleaner, environmentally sound work site in a very compact area.Amerimix used eight mobile silos, which improved the project’s efficiency.“Amerimix products provided a huge advantage on this job,” said Lozano. “They’re always consistent, and you just add water and go, which was very important when dealing with such an aggressive timeline. There was literally no room for error.”Even with the preblended product, the masons still left nothing to chance, testing the grout and mortar twice a day to ensure quality, precision, and strength.“This is an iconic venue that will be experienced not only by fans on-site, but also viewed on national television,” stated Chris Cox of DMG Masonry. “The university was very specific about how they wanted it to look, which is why we were so meticulous in the testing. We needed precision and consistency every day, and Amerimix didn’t let us down.”A Legacy Set In StoneThe project was ultimately completed on time and significantly under budget, reflecting excellent management from all parties involved, as well as the hard work of the masonry companies and the efficiency facilitated by Echelon and Amerimix's cohesive product lines.Kyle Field goes down in the books as one of the larger Amerimix jobs in the United States, with close to 3,200 Amerimix super sacks or approximately 9.6 million pounds of Amerimix materials used.The redeveloped Kyle Field is a beautiful campus landmark and is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of fans every year as they cheer the Aggies on to college football victory. In Kyle Field, Texas A&M traditions are kept alive, from the Corps March-In before each game, to coordinated yells in its notoriously intimidating student section, to performances from the Nationally Famous Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. With the durability of Echelon masonry units and Amerimix mortar, Kyle Field will continue to serve Texas A&M and its football team, students, and fans for years to come.About: Case Study
