House Park is a multi-purpose stadium located by Shoal Creek on the western edge of downtown Austin. Owned and operated by the Austin Independent School District, House Park can seat upwards of 6,500 attendees.
Blanketed in all-purpose, year-round FieldTurf, the stadium hosts a multitude of sporting events, including football, soccer, and even lacrosse. In 2011, a newly commissioned BMX (bicycle motocross) and skate park opened at the other end of the stadium parking lot.
Home Field for the Benefit of Austin’s Youth
Just down the hill from the old Austin High School campus (now serving as the home of Austin Community College), House Park originally opened in 1939. Named for Edward M. House, an advisor to President Woodrow Wilson, the sports facility still serves as the home stadium for Austin High School, as well as Anderson, McCallum, and Lanier High Schools.
House originally owned much of the land east of Shoal Creek and, when his political career began to take off, he donated a sizeable chunk of it for the “benefit of Austin’s youth.” When the western stands of the stadium were built in 1947, House Park was dedicated to the former Austin High School students who had fought in World Wars I and II.
Outlaws Football and Aztex Soccer
The stadium has played host to the Austin Outlaws, a member of the Women’s Football Alliance. Originally formed in 2001, the Outlaws have done well enough to compete in a number of national championships.
House Park also hosts the home games of the Austin Aztex, a soccer team that currently plays in the fourth tier of the U.S. soccer pyramid — the United Soccer Leagues’ Premier Development League. The Aztex plan to move to the professional tier at some point.
X-Games Go Local
After a decade of lobbying by skateboarders and BMX enthusiasts, a skate park opened beside the House Park Stadium. A concrete plaza replete with ramps, stairs, rails, a half-pipe, and an empty pool awaits skaters and bikers alike, catering to sports enthusiasts of all skill levels.
The 30,000-square-foot park has been drawing attention ever since its construction began. Local youths would gather on top of the nearby parking garage to practice their moves, all the while watching the progress of the park’s creation. Volcom, a large skate brand, hosted an event called Wild in the Parks in October 2011, just after the park opened.
What began as a horse pasture long ago has evolved into a favorite place among Austin’s young athletes. As the city continues to grow, House Park’s cherished role in the community grows as well, a beloved home to youth-oriented sporting events that will thrive for many years into the future.