Preparing San Antonio for prestigious March Madness games

At the forefront of these preparations is Skanska’s San Antonio office. Through their efforts, Skanska has played a crucial role in both creating and revitalizing two key venues: Civic Park at Hemisfair and the Alamodome.

Skanska's contributions to preparing San Antonio for the Men's NCAA Final Four and Championship games exemplify their commitment to quality and community development. By upgrading Civic Park and renovating the Alamodome, they have ensured that both venues are ready to host thousands of visitors in style and comfort.

Creating Civic Park

Civic Park, located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Texas, is a newly revitalized public space and park that serves as a central gathering place for residents and visitors alike. Transformed into a vibrant and welcoming venue just in time for the Final Four festivities, Skanska's meticulous planning and execution ensured the park was completed on schedule, providing an ideal setting for this major event.

Civic Park at Hemisfair is hosting the Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate, presented by Nissan. Attendees can enjoy free watch parties for both the men’s and women’s Final Four games, along with family-friendly activities including giveaways, basketball-themed fun, music, food and more.

Located within the historic 1968 World's Fair grounds and adjacent to the world-famous River Walk, Civic Park spans seven acres and includes public plazas and courtyards, an event lawn and stage, intimate gardens with springs, and a promenade connecting various spaces within the park. Recycled water is utilized throughout the park, making it a model of water sustainability in line with San Antonio's tradition of water stewardship.

Teams broke ground on the park project in January 2022, launching Phase 1, which features the Great Lawn, part of the Promenade, and five interactive water features. Phase 1 opened in September 2023.

The second and final phase opened on March 18, showcasing four main areas: Source Plaza, the Promenade, the Zócalo and the Stage. This phase offers various amenities for relaxation, recreation and events.

For the Skanska team members involved in this project, it carries a unique significance. Superintendent Ty Johnson, Project Manager Justin Wallace, and Senior Project Manager Tom Hull, who were part of the team that built the park, have young children who affectionately refer to it as "daddy's park." This personal connection with their work adds additional meaning and pride, making the project even more special.

Civic Park: Fun Facts 

• The park incorporates sustainable features, including a 42,000-gallon cistern that collects runoff water from the convention center and surrounding area to irrigate the Great Lawn, even during droughts.
• With 123,500 square feet of masonry paving surfaces, these phases together rival the size of Plaza Mayor in Madrid or Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy—both renowned for their historic public gatherings.
• Every one of the 5,144 porcelain tiles were handset using vacuum cups for absolute precision, aligning with 1,300 feet of meticulously coordinated grade lines to maintain flawless elevation and water drainage.  
• Texas’ limestone heritage was honored with the 30,000 square-foot stone paving quarried from Hog Creek Quarry in Lueders, Texas, then fabricated and finished by Mezger Stone at mills in Lueders and Lampasas, Texas. 
• The 7 million pounds of stone used in these two phases is comparable to the estimated total weight of the original limestone used to construct the Alamo’s main church and fortifications, highlighting the project’s monumental scale. 
• In Phase I, over 130 trees from Seguin, Texas and 12,600 plants were planted, and the 59 trees in Phase 2 are comprised of six varieties.

Renovating the Alamodome

Since its opening in 1993, the Alamodome with its 64,000 seats has been a San Antonio landmark, hosting college football games, concerts, conventions, the Alamo Bowl, and family entertainment like Monster Jam and Disney on Ice. To uphold its reputation as a premier sports and entertainment venue, significant upgrades were necessary.

Thanks to Skanska's expertise, the Alamodome underwent substantial renovations approved by the city council in 2023. One of the key projects was a $20 million, 115,000 square-foot renovation that added 18 new luxury suites on the club level to accommodate visitors to the NCAA Final Four and Championship games. Skanska completed these upgrades earlier this year, just in time for the event.

The improvements also included upgrades to the fifth-level concession and circulation area, kitchen equipment and point-of-sale areas, finishes, lighting, and audio-visual systems. These enhancements will not only elevate the fan experience but also attract more high-profile events to San Antonio.

The Alamodome has a rich history of hosting NCAA events, including the men's Final Four in 1998, 2004, 2008 and 2018, as well as the women's Final Four in 2002, 2010 and 2021. It is slated to host the women's semifinal and championship games again in 2029.

This event will showcase the Alamodome's impressive renovations, providing college basketball fans with an exceptional experience featuring enhanced amenities and a modern look.

The Alamodome: Fun facts

• Several cranes were brought onto the stadium floor to lift structural steel up to the suite level and upper concourse.
• For the new suites, our team poured a concrete slab extension using a special lightweight structural concrete mix that’s rarely used. This impressive feat involved a 58-meter concrete pump truck and a hose system stretching over 200 feet.
• To limit disruption during ongoing events at the Alamodome, our team built a temporary wall system around the 18 new suites. This included a towering 30-foot tall wall on the stadium field side to ensure minimal interference with activities.