Board approves relocating athletic fields to West Campus during rebuild; option chosen to save projected escalation costs

Salt Lake City School District trustees voted Feb. 8 to adopt the staff-recommended approach to athletic facilities for the West High reconstruction: to relocate and concentrate athletic fields at the West Campus ("Option 2" in staff materials) rather than build across the site in a phasing that would trigger major utility relocations and multi-year escalation costs.

The decision followed a months-long planning process with architects and contractors. Staff described two build options: one that spread construction and left more of the campus in place until later phases (Option 1), and a second that concentrates most construction on the Capital-side parcel so work can be done sooner and as a single construction sequence (Option 2). Contractors told staff that Option 1 would require relocating utilities…