Cuyahoga Falls board weighs opening new stadium this fall, debates logistics and booster revenue

Cuyahoga Falls City School District leaders presented three options for whether the district’s new stadium can open for fall sports and spent much of the Oct. 9 board meeting weighing safety inspections, temporary facilities and financial impacts on booster fundraising.

Dr. Celico, the district superintendent, told the board the district will receive the new building keys in late November but noted the stadium portion has separate life-safety and operational components that affect whether it can open earlier for events. "We could open with temporary facilities," he said, describing tents for locker rooms, mobile restrooms and temporary concession setups. He said parking and egress, bleacher inspections, fencing, electrical and lighting will drive the decision.

Board members and construction staff described three options: (A) open the new stadium for select fall events using temporary facilities and staged access; (B) a split approach — play early events at Clifford Stadium then move to the new stadium later in the season; or (C) not open the new stadium and play the full season at alternate sites such as Kent State. Construction representatives Jeff and Lucas said option A is feasible if temporary facilities and inspections are completed and local building-authority approvals are obtained.

The board discussed fundraising implications for athletics if in-stadium concessions, parking and gates are limited. One board member cautioned that the booster club relies on concessions, parking fees and gate receipts as its primary fundraising sources. Dr. Celico said some concessions could be scaled back and suggested food trucks donate a percentage of sales to boosters; he also noted savings on field maintenance and paint if fewer games are played at the old field.

District staff offered preliminary costs and estimates: mobile restrooms were noted at roughly $2,800 per week; painting and labor for field markings and irrigation were listed in the superintendent’s notes; and the district currently pays Kent State an amount listed in the notes for use of its facility. Staff said some figures (tent and tenting costs, final bleacher inspection and repair estimates) were still to be determined.

Board members asked when a final decision would be certain. A construction representative said Summit County building officials (the local authority having jurisdiction) will need to sign off on life-safety items, and that clearer timing will emerge in spring as the district approaches occupancy and schedules final inspections. One board member recommended conservatively planning for the fall while preparing contingencies for boosters and athletics.

The board did not take a formal vote on a stadium-opening motion at the Oct. 9 meeting; instead, members directed staff to continue cost estimates, coordinate with the booster club, pursue necessary inspections and report back. The next steps include obtaining precise parasitic-cost estimates (tents, temporary locker rooms and restroom rentals), confirming parking-lot availability and securing approvals from Summit County building inspectors.