Heights, Shoemaker play 1st game at new Hood Stadium

The first ever game at the new Hood Stadium happens Friday night when the Harker Heights Knights battle the Shoemaker Grey Wolves in a District 8-5A matchup. Fort Hood has released a statement to help ease the pain of the traffic before, during and after the football game.

To facilitate flow of traffic to and from the inaugural high school football game between Harker Heights and Shoemaker high schools at the new Hood Stadium Oct. 19, the Clear Creek Gate will be limited to stadium traffic only from 4-11 p.m. All lanes at the Clear Creek Gate will be inbound for a period of time beginning at 4 p.m., then switch to outbound as the game nears completion. Use of ACP 8 on West Tank Destroyer Blvd. and the Main Gate on T.J. Mills Blvd. are suggested as alternate entrance/exit options for other traffic going on or off post during this time frame. Access to the Commissary, Post Exchange, Fort Hood National Bank and the Express Gas Station will be limited to entrances/exits on Tank Destroyer Blvd.

Fort Hood will officially open its stadium complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning. The ribbon-ceremony will be led by III Corps Deputy Commanding General Brig. Gen. James M. Richardson at 9 a.m. at the complex, which is located near the Clear Creek Exchange.

The $13.5 million complex is a multi-purpose athletic and entertainment venue that will replace the original that was built in 1951.

The original stadium was torn down to make room for the new medical center.

More than 5,000 seats with armchairs will take up the bleacher section on the west side of the field and it will include handicapped seating.

A field, track and entertainment stage make up the rest of the complex.

The parking lot will have 1,000 spaces made available to visitors with overflow parking available.

Other District 8-5A matchups on Friday night include Copperas Cove at Belton (heard on Sports Radio 101.7 The Ticket at 7pm), Temple at Ellison (on News Radio 1400 KTEM at 7pm), Killeen at Midway, kickoff set for 7:30 pm.