In late 2006, when the then San Jose Earthquakes announced they were relocating to Houston, a city that had never had a MLS franchise, the thinking was that it would be easier for the team to get a stadium deal done in Houston than it would be to get one done in the San Jose area. It's taken over four years, but all the necessary government votes, financing, and red tape has been handled so that the Houston Dynamo will be able to break ground on Saturday February 5, 2011 at the stadium's location on the east edge of downtown Houston. The official groundbreaking ceremony will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 on Saturday afternoon.
More pictures and information on the stadium after the jump.
Prior to the official groundbreaking, the Dynamo unveiled new stadium renderings at their downtown offices at 1:00 Thursday afternoon. Populous architect Loren Supp was on hand at the unveiling, along with Dynamo CEO Chris Canetti, and J. Kent "Kenny" Friedman, Chairman of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.
The stadium will have an initial capacity of 22,000, with the ability to expand to 30,000. Of course there will be luxury suites in the stadium, and said suites will be 11 rows from the pitch.
The exterior skin of the stadium will be made from a mesh fabric that will allow the stadium to glow orange as well as allow air to flow through the stadium, providing a breeze for the fans.
Although much of Houston will be shut down on Friday due to winter weather, Saturday should see highs in the 50s so the groundbreaking should be pleasant.
Finally, the Dynamo will be providing a webcam on their site that will allow people to watch the construction of the stadium.
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