San Diego residents traveling down the freeway or commuting by trolley around the Mission Valley area have likely encountered the county’s most recent development, Snapdragon Stadium.

The stadium, which opened in August 2022, has become a premiere venue for sporting events and concerts. It also represents a key development in the first phase of San Diego State University’s Mission Valley campus.

In the midst of developing Snapdragon stadium and SDSU Mission Valley, the project has been recognized for its emphasis on sustainability and environmentalism.

Recently, SDSU announced that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded the school with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

LEED certification is given to projects that prioritize sustainable development, responsibly utilizing water, energy and other materials. LEED also makes a conscious effort to manage carbon emissions and prioritize students’ health.

Snapdragon Stadium and the rest of the SDSU Mission Valley project has a significant impact on current SDSU students.

Third-year journalism major Petrina Tran, initially had mixed feelings on the project.

“I think traffic in that area has gotten significantly worse but I also appreciate that the (Snapdragon) field provides a place for our sports teams,” Tran said.

Tran also made note of her personal commitment to sustainability, as she routinely recycles and reuses her resources. In light of SDSU Mission Valley’s LEED certification, Tran said that sustainability is and should be a priority on a larger scale with city development in San Diego.

“Taking precautions to limit environmental impact is very important and crucial if (SDSU Mission Valley) hopes to continue building,” Tran said.

Fourth-year music education major Kyle Callan visited Snapdragon Stadium for a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in May and was impressed by the enthusiastic atmosphere and detailed stadium planning. He believes that more venues should follow in the steps of Snapdragon.

“San Diego, being a densely populated area, generates significant amounts of pollution each year,” Callan said. “Any successful initiatives aimed at addressing this issue deserve recognition and should serve as models for others to follow.”

Gina Jacobs, associate vice president of Mission Valley Development at SDSU, highlighted the developers’ efforts to create a sustainable and community-oriented space for the Mission Valley area.

These benchmarks include recycling 90% of the previous stadium and parking lot, creating 80 acres of park and open space, introducing native plants and trees and establishing pedestrian and biking areas to limit car emissions.

“Sustainability is an important attribute of any new construction project, but it is especially important to the SDSU community,” Jacobs said. “We made a commitment early on to ensure both Snapdragon Stadium and SDSU Mission Valley would reflect our values as a university.”

She believes that these efforts will translate to success for the school and the County of San Diego.

“SDSU Mission Valley will be a community asset, expanding the university’s educational, research, entrepreneurial, and technology programs and supporting community engagement,” Jacobs added. “It will also provide much needed housing for San Diego and a large regional park that will be open to the public.”

With Snapdragon Stadium up and running and doing its part for the environment, the facility is only the beginning of many great green things coming to the local neighborhood.

(Photo courtesy of SDSU)