Construction Progressing On-Schedule For Stadium Opening

Beachwood will have turf and stadium lights for the first time in school history.

Photo+by+Gabriela+Costa

Photo by Gabriela Costa

Construction crews continued work on the stadium renovation during the first weeks of school.

Athletic Director Ryan Peters is optimistic that the project will be completed on time for the first home football game scheduled against East Tech on Sept. 9.

Players and coaches are excited about the turf and stadium lights.

“We’ve talked about stadium lights in Beachwood since before I was in high school [in the early 1990s],” Peters said.

Peters emphasized that the new stadium lights will encourage community members to attend games, will allow more flexible scheduling and will make attendance easier for families, since Friday afternoon games were too early for most working parents to attend.

Peters also hopes that the artificial turf will help spring sports that would otherwise be stuck in the gym due to weather.

According to Beachwood City Schools’ Treasurer Michele Mills, the anticipated cost of the project was $4.8 million. As of publication, purchase orders for $4.4 million have been written, and Mills does not anticipate that costs will exceed that amount.

Mills explained in an email that the money was borrowed through a Certificate of Participation COPS program. The district borrowed $4.8 Million against the permanent improvement fund revenues to be paid back over the next 12 years from a portion of the annual permanent improvement levy funded through property tax revenues.

“The new lights will hype up the team and give the community something to look forward to,” senior football player Josh Bialosky said.