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District 214 board approves nearly $25M stadium and turf replacements at three high schools
Summary
The board unanimously approved a summer 2026 capital program to replace tracks, turf, lighting and scoreboards at Buffalo Grove, Prospect and Hershey to address aging infrastructure, reduce operating costs via LED lighting and standardize facilities across the district.
The Township High School District 214 board voted Jan. 22 to approve summer 2026 stadium and turf replacement projects at Buffalo Grove, Prospect and Hershey high schools. Administration described the package as a near-$25 million program that will replace late-1990s/early-2000s track surfaces, overhaul underlayment asphalt, install new turf where life expectancy has been exceeded, retrofit lighting to LEDs and install new scoreboards and fiber to press boxes.
Facilities staff said the projects will reduce utility costs (LED retrofits are expected to cut lighting bills by roughly 30–50 percent), allow districts to centralize athletic uniform purchasing and improve maintenance through newer turf technologies. Officials also noted the work is time- and weather-sensitive because asphalt needs a 30-day cure before track surfacing; buildings have agreed to release stadiums in May to create the construction window. Administration said the projects will use purchasing contracts and a supervision partner to coordinate construction and minimize disruption to summer programs.
The board approved the work by roll call (motion carried, 7–0). Trustees discussed accessibility questions for visitor bleachers and said bleacher replacements or additional ADA upgrades could be considered in future phases, but administrators said ramps and key access points are in place and that full bleacher replacement could be a multimillion-dollar add-on.
Next steps include final contractor procurement under board-authorized purchasing contracts, site coordination with athletic directors to protect summer programming and a construction schedule aimed at the 2026 football season start.
