Funded by a public-private partnership, this $98.5-million events center was built under a compressed schedule and delivered on time and within budget in August 2023.

Located in the actual epicenter of Fort Bend County, the Epicenter will stimulate the local economy by hosting a wide array of events, including graduation ceremonies, high school athletic programs, sporting events, concerts and livestock and rodeo shows.

The arena features more than 8,600 fixed seats and has a capacity of more than 10,000. It boasts a distinctive silhouette with an angular roofline and a panoramic glass facade. A 38,000-sq-ft outdoor pavilion space is designed to host livestock shows, equestrian competitions and agricultural events.

Image by Wade Griffith Photography

Spanning 230,000 sq ft on a 51.75-acre plot on the county’s highest elevation, the facility also doubles as a vital operations center and emergency shelter during natural disasters, featuring amenities such as concessions, water and backup power and a capacity for 1,500 cots.

After a 10-month planning phase, construction was completed within just 14 months. Weekly meetings providing three-week look-ahead schedules and proactive project management helped the team stay ahead of any obstacles. At construction peak, about 400 tradespeople from 39 subcontractors were working on site.

Image by Wade Griffith Photography

Supply chain delays affected installation of the chillers and air handler units. Although the air handler units would have been installed with cranes through the top of the building before the roof was completed, they instead had to be installed after the roof was finished to keep the flow of the project moving along. Since the air handlers couldn’t fit in one piece, each one had to be broken down into four parts, lifted one piece at a time and reassembled on the mezzanine inside the building before being installed.

The Epicenter features five different types of walls: tilt wall, curtain wall, metal panel veneer, brick veneer and drywall substrate. It was extremely important to join them properly so they would be waterproof. The team took extra precautions to ensure their long-term stability.

Image by Wade Griffith Photography

Across 316,800 worker hours, the team had zero lost-time accidents or OSHA recordable incidents thanks to a site-specific safety plan that met or exceeded all regulatory requirements, including OSHA standards.