San Diego State University,
Snapdragon Stadium

As college athletics grow into a multibillion-dollar industry, universities are rethinking their facilities as strategic business assets — hosting pro teams, driving year-round activity, and competing for fans. For San Diego State University, that meant creating a 35,000-seat Division I stadium that felt authentically “of San Diego.” The university envisioned an anchor for a new entertainment and education district that would redefine the traditional collegiate football experience, host pro and college teams, and deliver a premium yet accessible fan experience.

Delivered via design-build, Snapdragon Stadium reimagines the stadium typology through openness, landscape, and social connectivity. A permeable perimeter dissolves the boundary between venue and city, welcoming fans into landscaped concourses that feel as much like a park as a stadium. Indigenous plantings and open-air circulation reflects San Diego’s climate and culture. Three elevated decks extending over the seating bowl deliver immersive, communal viewing over multiple levels. A 5,000-seat student section, including 2,900 safe-standing seats inspired by European and MLS models, intensifies the atmosphere.

Snapdragon Stadium establishes a new model for collegiate venues that prioritizes landscape, community, and flexibility alongside performance. The LEED Gold stadium integrates indigenous plantings, open-air circulation, and biophilic design that reduce environmental impact. As the anchor of SDSU’s Mission Valley Campus expansion, it supports year-round programming and strengthens community identity. The stadium serves as home to SDSU Aztec football and the National Women’s Soccer League’s San Diego Wave FC, with capacity to host Major League Soccer and large-scale events.