After an official groundbreaking ceremony in May of 2022, work has finally begun on the new Karen Cramer Athletic Stadium.  

When it is completed, the stadium will be the new on-campus site for practices and games of Texas Wesleyan sports like football, soccer, track and more. 

Utilities and sections of Avenue D and Avenue E have been removed to make way for the stadium project.   

The 16.5 million dollar project is a significant investment coming into the Polytechnic community of Fort Worth, bringing with it attention to the university.  

“The goal with the Karen Cramer Stadium was to build a high-quality athletic complex that would not only impact Texas Wesleyan University, but our community as well,” said Texas Wesleyan President Frederick G. Slabach.  

 “Once completed, it will have a massive impact on the future of TXWES academics, athletics and the community and will continue to position Texas Wesleyan as the Smaller. Smarter. University in the Fort Worth-Dallas metropolitan area.  Not only will our student-athletes have on-campus practice facilities, but we can also start using the facility to host outside athletic events and generate a revenue stream to sustain our athletic facilities.”

Work crews have been working to reroute existing utilities and prepare the site for construction. Phase one of the project will feature the track, field and lights, while the stands will be added in a later phase.  

  The Texas Wesleyan football team plays its home games at Fort Worth ISD’s Farrington Field, about six miles from campus. The new stadium will become more accessible for students on campus and the local community.  

“The Karen Cramer Athletic Stadium will be a fantastic addition for students, visitors and Texas Wesleyan University’s surrounding community. These efforts are a stellar example of how Texas Wesleyan is continuing to grow in ways that strengthen both their student population and our East Fort Worth neighborhoods,” wrote Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.  

“This project also comes at a time that the Polytechnic corridor has been selected to be part of Fort Worth’s Main Street America pilot program, an intentional investment that Texas Wesleyan partnered to spearhead to help spark economic growth while preserving the area’s culture and history.” 

Growing the fan base of the university within the community is something that the local games will hope to encourage.  

Robert Sturns, director of economic development for the City of Fort Worth, said in a statement that “It’s been really exciting to see [TXWES’s] commitment to and investment in the Polytechnic neighborhood, and this new stadium represents a big step forward for the area. Not only will it bring awareness to the university and community more broadly, but it also has potential to bring new investment and business opportunities along with it.” 

“The increased foot traffic on game day will have a positive impact on the small businesses around the campus, and the crowds will be a potential market for new restaurants and other supporting businesses – and the jobs that come with them.” 

In the past few years, growth and development around the university has been abundant.  The Rosedale apartments, Joe’s Hangout, and various city projects all have gone towards improving and bringing a new look to the area. The Karen Cramer Athletic Stadium is setting up to become the next big connection between Texas Wesleyan and the community.