Elko boosters outline $4 million plan to replace Elko High track, add turf, lights and scoreboard

Drew D'Arieta, president of the Elko High School Athletics Booster Club, told the Elko County School District Board of Trustees that the boosters are pursuing a roughly $4,000,000 project to replace the Elko High track and install a new turf field, LED stadium lights, a video scoreboard and upgraded bleachers.

The project, D'Arieta said, grew from a single-track replacement need into a broader stadium upgrade. "The total cost of the project is probably gonna be about $4,000,000," he said. He told the board the booster club plans to lead most of the fundraising and expects to use advertising on the scoreboard and other naming opportunities to create a maintenance fund so the district will not be asked to cover future resurfacing costs.

The boosters described the planned maintenance approach as a key element: "the video board is about...we can do advertisement for businesses, local donors, and that money can then go into an account," D'Arieta said, explaining the long-term fund would help pay for resurfacing 10–12 years from now.

Superintendent Anderson said the district administration has begun discussing the project with the boosters and other local partners and praised the community-led effort. Anderson told the board that seeing community members step forward to address campus facility needs made a strong impression: "the school looks incredible...you just saw a problem...let's do something about that," he said, describing his reaction when he first saw the scope of the proposals.

Booster leaders said the facility would serve more than Elko High athletes: senior fitness groups, Special Olympics and regional events have used the site in the past. They argued hosting regional 1A–3A track, soccer and football championships would bring hotel and restaurant revenue to town while benefiting students and the wider community.

D'Arieta said booster fundraising may combine private donors, grant matching and community sponsorship; no formal funding commitments from the district, county or city were made at the meeting. He said the club will coordinate with district facilities staff and seek possible city or county support as the plan matures.

Board members offered verbal support during the informational presentation and thanked the booster club for coordinating with school administration and community partners. No formal district funding decision or vote on the project was taken at this meeting.

The boosters indicated they will return to the board with updates as fundraising and design work progress.