Stadium
INDIAN STADIUM
HISTORY
Texas is king of high school football, and home of numerous historic venues. But few have the atmosphere of Indian Stadium in Port Neches, Texas.
Home of PN-G football since 1951, Indian Stadium has hosted many classic gridiron battles between the Indians and Southeast Texas opponents as well as numerous playoff games. Port Neches won its first state championship title in 1953 at home.
Indian Stadium is a modernized, turf covered field where today’s games are played on the the same ground that PN-G legends Gordon LeBoeuf, Wade Phillips, Jeff Bergeron, Mike Simpson, Robert Giblin, Dustin Long, and other area legends like Joe Washington, Todd Dodge impressed fans.
Port Neches High School first played their games on a field situated on the south bank of the Neches River. The Indians later played in their first stadium located next to the original high school campus on Main Street in Port Neches.
The current stadium was built in 1951 with an original capacity of 6,500, followed by several expansions over the decades increasing capacity to 13,000 by the mid-70s.
An 18,000 square foot field house was completed in 1999. Featuring a 3,000 square foot weight room, meeting rooms, coaches offices, and training facilities, it is one of the top high school facilities of its kind in the state.
A $10.2 million renovation was approved as part of a school bond issue in 2007. The renovation, which began in February 2008, added a new drainage system and Field Turf playing surface, all new home seating, a new two-tier press box that can host dozens of media and VIPs, a state-of-the-art, high definition video display and scoreboard, and all new concessions and restrooms on both sides of the stadium.
A 2009 gift in honor of former player Steve Nolen added solid oak lockers to the locker room. The ‘Steve Nolen Locker Room’ provides a top quality atmosphere for Indian players.
In 2012 the artificial turf was replaced to resolve manufacturing issues with the previous playing surface.
In 2021 improved field drainage was completed along with new Hellas Matrix Ecoturf, a new track and new 44’x21′ scoreboard video display.
Winner of the Dave Campbell Texas Football Magazine’s Stadium Showdown, it has long been a stadium respected by opponents. With a home side capacity of 8,500, regular season crowds often exceed 11,000. Games with the Nederland Bulldogs, long time Mid-County rival, bring capacity crowds making it one of the most prolific high school game atmospheres in the state.
As an area sports writer aptly stated, “PN-G football is an event, not a game. Generations of PN-G graduates faithfully pack Indian Stadium, affectionately known as the Reservation, to watch the new generation protect the school’s ideals.”
DETAILS
Total seating capacity: 13,000 (SturdiSteel)
Playing Surface: Hellas Matrix® Turf (same as Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium)
All-time attendance record: 16,000 (1982 vs PA Thomas Jefferson)
Two-tier, 7,500 SF, state-of-the-art press box
18,000 square foot field house
Special features: 44’x21′ high definition video board
Address: 1401 Merriman Port Neches, TX 77651
