Southeast Polk officially opens new $22 million stadium
The new $22 million Southeast Polk football stadium is officially open for business after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday night.
The giant new facility has room for more than 6,000 fans and boasts a state-of-the-art sound system that will blast them out of their seats.
“It's a jaw dropper,” said Activities Director Jayson Campbell, who called the stadium a dream come true.
It's near the high school in Pleasant Hill and has room for not only football but soccer and track and field as well. The district’s goal was to build a landmark.
“A facility that the community would be proud of, and I think absolutely, 100%, we've achieved that,” Campbell said.
Campbell gave us a tour of all the amenities. Multiple locker rooms are divided with special roll-up doors to accommodate any combination of male and female teams. And they are huge.
“It's just much bigger, so we have a lot more space for our kids to accommodate them in the same locker room," Campbell said.
The locker rooms flank the coaches’ offices, with plenty of space nearby for the marching band gear and equipment storage under the main concourse. The home team’s bleachers dwarf the old stadium's. Fans will find 106 toilet stalls, a concession area, and a press box.
And don't forget one of the most unusual features of the stadium. Visitors will walk through a tunnel to enter the area. An impressive black and gold view greets them at the other end.
“That's a tremendous feature for the fans because the lion's share of the parking is across the road, so again, providing a safe experience for the fans to get into the stadium,” Campbell said.
Fans will get a good look for themselves when Southeast Polk plays their first home football game of the season in Week 3 on Sept. 8 against Cedar Rapids Prairie.