Stevenson High stadium being eyed for improvements
As the Stevenson High Patriots prepare for Saturday's semifinal playoff game against the Loyola Academy Ramblers, officials are considering enhancing the Lincolnshire school's stadium.
No work will begin until 2015, however, because different construction projects already are planned for next year, Stevenson spokesman Jim Conrey said.
A key goal is improving the ease of ticket sales and entry, Conrey said. A tiny ticket booth and a shed are the only on-site sales points now, and lines can get long for a big game like the one set for Saturday, Conrey said.
“We often have events where 5,000 people show up, and you can imagine the bottlenecks that occur because of that,” Conrey told the Daily Herald.
Officials also would like to add more bathrooms. The stadium now has one small building containing boys and girls facilities. The fencing around the stadium is sagging in spots, too, Conrey said. New storage space also could be considered.
Cost estimates haven't yet been determined. If any improvements are scheduled for 2015, that could leave time for Stevenson to launch a fundraising campaign to help pay for the work, Conrey said.
The school board's finance committee will meet with architectural consultants Saturday about the stadium.
The session is scheduled for 7 a.m. at Cannon Design, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1100, Chicago. The gathering will be open to the public.
The meeting is being held on a Saturday morning in Cannon's office, rather than in an evening at the school, because committee members and administrators will be in Chicago at a state educational conference, Conrey said.
Any projects would need approval of the full school board to move forward. The board could discuss possible stadium improvements in December, Conrey said.
The last significant construction work at the stadium came in 2011, when new visitors bleachers were installed. The artificial turf field was added in 2008.
The Patriots will host the Ramblers at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Class 8A semifinal game.
Tickets are $6, and the gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Advance tickets are available at the school's Patriot Superstore before school and during lunch Friday.