Famous Tacoma stadium closed for sinkholes
Aug 28, 2015, 4:32 PM | Updated: 4:36 pm
Three sinkholes have appeared at Tacoma's well-known Stadium Bowl, causing its closure. More repairs may halt sports events on the field for the season. (Tacoma School District)
(Tacoma School District)
Tacoma’s Stadium Bowl has been shut down due to a series of sinkholes marring the sports field.
“We currently have three sinkholes that have appeared on the track and the field. The most recent one we found was last Friday, Aug. 21 on the 15-yard line closest to the bay,” Tacoma School District spokesperson Dan Voelpel said.
“All three of them are approximately four feet deep,” he said. “Some gravel and sand has sunk into the drainage system itself and washed away, causing the sinkholes.”
That drainage system is being blamed after an investigation into the three sinkholes. That system was supposed to prevent such incidents from happening, but it appears to be failing.
“Given Stadium Bowl’s history, it’s not a complete surprise when we discover things like this,” Voelpel said.
Part of that drainage system dates back to 1910 when the stadium was originally built. The stadium was initially larger, but as areas have washed out over time, it has been reconfigured. It sits on a steep hill, overlooking Commencement Bay and the Port of Tacoma. The stadium seats 15,000 and serves Woodrow Wilson High School and Stadium High School, famous for its role in such films as “10 Things I Hate About You.”
The stadium is also a primary sports field for the school district.
The district is hoping that the sinkholes can be fixed quickly as football season approaches, however, the initial inspection of the field raised even more questions.
“Ground-penetrating radar is showing many other areas with anomalies,” Voelpel said. “They will have to pull back the turf and find out if those areas will become problems in the future.”
“We are hopeful that after the inspection we can make some quick repairs and have the field ready in time for the Sept. 11 football game, the first of the season,” he said. “But if there is more significant damage that will take more time to repair, then we will have to plan for the football season and the foreseeable future not having Stadium Bowl.”
Voelpel notes that if there are more areas that need repair, and the drainage system needs to be replaced entirely, it could take months for the task to be completed.
The districts athletic director has rescheduled football, girls soccer, and other sports event.
