The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has released its first conceptual renderings for the long-anticipated redevelopment of historic Engel Stadium, offering the public an early look at plans to transform the former baseball venue into a new home for UTC women’s athletics and the Hamilton County Health Department.
University officials emphasize the images represent preliminary concepts that will continue to evolve as planning progresses and partnerships with local agencies take shape.
“These renderings represent our aspirations for what this property can become – a space that honors Engel’s celebrated past while serving the next generation of UTC student-athletes and our community,” says Brent Goldberg, UTC vice chancellor for finance and administration. “We’re still in the early stages of design, and we expect the plans to evolve as we move through the process. But this is an important step in turning our vision into something tangible.”
Women’s athletics complex
The renderings illustrate a sweeping reconfiguration of the Engel site to support UTC’s growing women’s athletics programs – a vision bolstered by a seven-figure contribution announced in March 2025 from the Steiner family.
At the heart of the plan is a new main building that will house locker rooms for softball, soccer and beach volleyball, along with shared training and meeting spaces intended to strengthen collaboration across women’s sports.
The structure will also include a dedicated indoor hitting facility for softball, replacing the current one at Warner Park, which is slated for removal as part of the Chattanooga Zoo’s expansion.
A new 2,000-seat soccer stadium – designed as a first-class home venue for the UTC women’s soccer team – is a prominent feature of the concept. University planners say they aim to repurpose salvaged trusses, bricks and other materials from Engel Stadium wherever possible, integrating the site’s historic character into the new build.
Section numbers and portions of the original scoreboard are also expected to be preserved in collaboration with the Chattanooga Lookouts.
A memorial space honoring Engel Stadium’s nearly century-long role in Chattanooga’s sports history would be located inside the stadium or incorporated into the complex entrance.
Health Department
The redevelopment also positions the Hamilton County Health Department on the property, fulfilling a joint announcement made by UTC and county officials in October 2024. The renderings show the future public health facility at the corner of Third and O’Neal streets, anchoring the site’s blend of athletics, education and community services.
UTC leaders say the project’s adaptive reuse approach is a priority, with plans to reclaim as much of Engel’s iconic steel trusses, brickwork and gates as structurally feasible.
Several steps ahead
Before construction can begin, UTC must complete several milestones, including a master plan amendment to integrate the Engel redevelopment into the broader campus planning framework.
Other next steps include:
• Subdividing and transferring a portion of the property to Hamilton County for the new Health Department facility
• Advancing programming and design development to refine building layouts, circulation patterns and infrastructure needs
• Ongoing public updates as planning evolves
• Construction bidding and procurement once designs and budgets are finalized
“There’s a lot of work ahead,” Goldberg says. “But each phase – planning, design, partnership – brings us closer to realizing a space that enhances UTC’s student experience and strengthens our connection to the city.”