Panther Stadium Closed for Field Renovations

Panther Stadium will be closed for turf replacement beginning Wednesday, June 18 through the end of July.

Signs will be posted and gates must be locked during renovation as a requirement for insurance and the company installing the new surface.

The current surface at Panther Stadium has served our students and community for nine years. The turf is used by not only our students but by numerous organizations. This continuous use has caused the surface tremendous 'wear and tear' and the turf has become a safety hazard due to gaps in the seams and has become hard due to the lack of fibers remaining on the surface.

In the past, our maintenance crews have been able to stretch the surface and connect the seams. This is no longer an option since the turf now separates in multiple locations when our crew attempts to pull the seams into place.

Just to provide an idea on how often the turf is used, we compiled a list of activities for the 2013-2014 school year. This list does not include the fact that our band uses the turf for three hours every day during the fall marching season. Football and soccer teams practice and play on the field over the course of the year as well.

Events for 2013-2014 included:

• Football Frenzy

• 5 regular season high school football games

• 2 postseason high school football games

• 20 junior high football games (10 -8TH and 10-9TH)

• 10 7TH grade football games

• 26 high school soccer games

• High school soccer tournament

• 4 junior high track meets (including 1 conference track meet)

• 3 high school track meets (including 1 conference and 1 state track meet)

• Heptathlon/Decathlon (2 days)

• Special Olympics practice (6 days)

• Special Olympics Regional Track Meet

• Spring Fling 5k

• Public track nights

• Lions Club Hero's For Health

• Band marching contest

• Cabot Parks and Recreation football tryouts

• Life champs football

• Cabot Parks and Recreation Football Super bowl

• That Church egg drop

• Cabot Soccer Association clinic

• Cabot Soccer Association games

• Soccer camp

• Football camp

• Cabot Fire Department PT

• Cabot Police Department PT

• Army National Guard PT

• National Drum Corps practice

• MSN Fitness Frenzy

• MSS Fitness Frenzy

• Relay for Life

The cost to replace the surface after receiving eight bids will be $325,000. Project funding will be shared by the Cabot Athletic Department, Coca-Cola Bottling Company for renewal of exclusive product rights, the Cabot Panther Foundation, and the Cabot School District building fund.

Replacement of the surface is scheduled to begin Wednesday, June 18. The stadium will be closed and the gates locked once work begins. We expect Panther Stadium to be closed throughout the month of July. The new surface will be installed and ready for marching band and football practice in August.