Before the renovation project, the facilities were badly dated and unsafe, according to the district. The stadium includes new bleachers that are handicapped accessible, new restrooms and a concession stand, and a new weight room. It is now much easier to get the facility ready for a game, said Harden.
“It benefits everybody. It’s now safe, and every seat is a good seat. It’s just the coolest setting to watch a game in. Handicapped folks have a place to sit with their friends,” Harden said.
The home side bleachers seat more than 2,000 people, end-zone bleachers accommodate about 1,000, and the visitors side seats about 1,400.
The project hit a few snags along the way. It was originally estimated at $2.6 million; the final tally came in at about $3.3 million, said district spokeswoman Gina Gentry-Fletcher. The Summer Music Games, an annual band fundraiser, moved to Hamilton because the new stadium wasn't ready.
Persistent rains this summer resulted in construction delays, and the bleachers had to be redone because they were not correctly placed on top of grade beams that support the entire structure. The contractor, Dant Clayton Corporation, corrected the work at no extra cost to the district, said Gentry-Fletcher. Also complicating matters was the fact that contractors had to dig deeper than planned to place light piers because the soil was too sandy, Harden said.
That meant that Fairfield had to play its first “home” game on Aug. 28 at Lakota East, which was done at no charge to the district, according to Gentry-Fletcher. Harden had estimated the final cost at being between $2.8 and $3 million. He is still working on fundraiser to sell naming rights for the new facility.
The Indians defeated Dublin Coffman 28-7 on Friday night.
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