The Newport High School Stadium likely won't be seeing anymore touchdowns in its current iteration. Costly repairs have been patched up for years, and a recent inspection of the facility shows it's a better investment to replace the stadium, a district official said.
"The stadium has needed some repairs, and we've been repairing it over time, so it's to the point now where we don't feel we can make the necessary repairs any longer," said Superintendent Tony Watts, noting deteriorating concrete in the stands where people sit could cause injuries. "So, it's time to try to replace the stadium and get a new facility there."
"We want to err on the side of caution and do the right things, and we think it's time to replace the stadium," he said.
A structural engineer inspected the facility in mid-April and, Watts said, recommended building a new one.
A lot of details are still in flux as the district determines how to move forward with plans for a possible new stadium.
For instance, if construction starts soon, it still wouldn't be ready for football season later this summer. So officials are trying to see if they can work with another district to use its football field for home games instead.
Estimated costs also haven't been finalized.
"We're getting an estimate, working with the architects right now to give us some figures and then we will see what we are working with," Watts said.
Board Chair Ramona Malone verified the district is looking into issues with the stadium and waiting for the full report from the structural engineer.
She says the next steps are for the board to review the report and possibly make a decision on the future of the stadium.
