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Whitehall-Coplay principals weigh PPL Center vs. on‑campus stadium for 2027 commencement
Summary
High school principal Dr. Mays presented three options for the Class of 2027 commencement — PPL Center, Stabler Arena (both turnkey) or the district’s Zephyr Stadium — noting a roughly $16,000 cost savings for the on‑campus option but also weather and logistical trade‑offs that require additional planning.
Whitehall-Coplay High School principal Dr. Mays presented three venue models Tuesday for the Class of 2027 commencement and asked the board for guidance on whether to pursue an on‑campus stadium pilot or continue renting an arena.
In his presentation Dr. Mays showed cost estimates for turnkey arena options (PPL Center and Stabler Arena) at about $41,550 and an on‑campus model using Zephyr Stadium at about $25,100 — a savings of roughly $16,000. He said the on‑campus option would require the district to manage logistics (chairs, security, medical staff, parking and shuttles) and accept weather risk, and recommended a two‑day backup window to reduce that risk.
Why it matters: the decision affects student and family experience, labor obligations under the district collective‑bargaining agreement (which constrains weekday/weekend scheduling), transportation logistics and occasional additional capital investments (sound, Wi‑Fi, tents) if the district hosts the event on campus.
Key points and trade‑offs: Dr. Mays said turnkey arena sites provide a climate‑controlled experience with established operations and ample ticketing capacity; the campus model would be less expensive and offer stronger alumni hospitality opportunities but would require more planning and could reduce ticket availability if rain forces an indoor backup. He suggested soliciting junior‑class officer input and recommended that, if the board favored a campus pilot, staff prepare operational procedures and a timeline to test the model for the Class of 2027.
Board members asked about CBA constraints, whether a weekend date was possible, parking capacity (the stadium has roughly 1,100 spots and could support family ticketing plans), and contingency plans to move the ceremony indoors with reduced ticketing if bad weather occurs. Dr. Mays said he could prepare further data for an executive session and work with junior officers and administrators on logistics before the next board meeting.
Next steps: Dr. Mays will return with logistics and cost details; the board may direct staff to pursue negotiations with external venues or begin planning an on‑campus pilot depending on board direction.
