Bentonville School Board approves fundraising campaign for West stadium expansion

Bentonville West High School on March 4, 2016.
Bentonville West High School on March 4, 2016.

BENTONVILLE -- Bentonville athletics staff plan to begin a campaign to raise at least $6 million to build bleachers, concessions and restrooms for varsity football games at the new West High School stadium.

Athletic Director Scott Passroom presented the School Board on Monday an outline of a stadium expansion consisting of two phases. An estimated $6,033,675 would pay for bleachers for 3,100 people, a 27-seat press box, space for concessions and restrooms, a section of bleachers for the band, a ticket booth and some roadwork.

West High

West High School grand opening will be held at 10 a.m. July 29 in front of the school, 10519 Gamble Road, in Centerton. Tours for the public will follow.

— Staff report

A second phase, priced at more than $5 million or $11 million total, would expand visitor side bleachers, ticket entries for the home side, a practice field, a center field logo, more locker rooms and more parking, Passmore said.

The capital campaign includes raising money by offering naming rights to the stadium, seats and bleachers, through advertising around the field and press box, and seeking individual donations and grants, Assistant Athletic Director Jeff McGee said.

"I feel like it's the right time," McGee said. "There's an excitement in our kids, which leads to excitement in our parents and our communities. I don't think we're going to take no for an answer on getting it done."

But if the fundraising fails, any money raised will go back to donors, Passmore said.

School Board members expressed reservations about having to pay for some of the proposed plans with taxpayer money, but they voted 6-0 to approve the campaign by the School District and athletics staff.

"Everybody expects and wants the schools to be equal," Rebecca Powers, board member, said. "This is what we should be doing to try to make things equal."

School Board member Joe Quinn told the staff he didn't want them to come back in 18 months asking for money from the budget.

West High School will debut Aug. 15 in Centerton with about 1,200 freshmen through juniors. The high school will have its first class of seniors in the 2017-18 school year.

The Wolverines stadium has an artificial grass field for soccer and football, a track, fields for baseball and softball, and a complex with an indoor practice field, weight rooms and locker rooms.

An 800-seat visitors section will accommodate crowds for freshman and junior varsity football and soccer games, but not enough for a Class 7A home varsity football game, school officials said.

The staff is grateful for the campus the community has provided, Principal Jonathon Guthrie said. The addition of having home games on the West campus would contribute to the culture and identity of the Wolverines.

The West Wolverines varsity football team for now will play home varsity football games at Tiger Stadium, including games against Bentonville High School, Coach Bryan Pratt said.

Pratt hopes the fundraising succeeds so his varsity football team can play at their stadium, beginning with the 2018 season.

NW News on 07/19/2016

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