Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facility Investment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elko High boosters present $4.5 million stadium rebuild plan, ask city for $500,000 investment
Summary
Elko High School boosters presented a phased plan to replace the failing track, add turf, lighting and a video scoreboard. The group requested the City of Elko consider a $500,000 investment to leverage state matches and private pledges; council members expressed support but stressed funding constraints.
Representatives of the Elko High School Booster Club told the Elko City Council on March 10 they seek the city’s backing and a potential $500,000 investment to help fund a multi-phase rebuild of Warrior Field and the track.
Drew D'Auretta, presenting on behalf of the booster club and the Elko County School District, described decades of incremental repairs and detailed safety problems: the existing track surface has peeled and is unsafe for meets, lighting is inadequate in spots and the home bleachers sit on the wrong side of the field. He proposed Phase 1 — site work, synthetic turf, a nine-lane running track, upgraded lighting and a digital scoreboard — at an estimated $4,500,000 based on multiple contractor quotes.
"We're asking for a $500,000 donation or if there's a way you can figure it out over the next couple years," the presenter said, framing the request as an "investment" that could be matched by state funds and supported with corporate pledges and ad revenue from a new scoreboard.
School district superintendent CJ Anderson said the district intends to include the project in its capital improvement plan and that planning committees and the county oversight panel had expressed general support; he described coordination with county and state funding processes and expressed hope the city would likewise commit funds or letters of support to improve grant competitiveness.
Councilmembers broadly praised the project as a community asset but noted the city’s limited budget flexibility. One councilmember said simply redirecting previously voted-down taxes would be “tough,” while others urged creative funding mixes, in-kind options such as waiving dump fees for demolition, and help securing grant matches.
Planned phases: Phase 1 (track, turf, lights, scoreboard) $4.5 million; Phase 2 (bleachers/concession/press box) $1,000,000–$2,000,000 depending on reuse of existing structures; Phase 3 (practice fields and ancillary improvements) contingent on further fundraising. Boosters said turf lowers maintenance and hosting regional/state events could generate substantial hotel and meals revenue.
Council took no immediate financial action at the March 10 meeting but encouraged the group to pursue inclusion in the district’s capital improvement plan and to return with final fundraising progress and formal requests during the city’s budget process.
