Official: GHS stadium development will take time

Yahoo

10-05-2025

bluefield, va. — While a conditional use permit for a new football stadium at Graham High School was approved last December, the development of the stadium is a process that will take time, according to school officials.
Last December the Bluefield, Va., Town Council approved a conditional use permit allowing the Tazewell County School Board to build a stadium next to Graham High School. As currently proposed, the stadium would be developed at the site of the existing outdoor learning and sports facility at GHS.
'The track is there and the turf is there,' Tazewell County School Superintendent Dr. Chris Stacy said. 'In time we would add bleachers, home bleachers and a press box. It would not be all at once. We would do it in sections.'
That process has not yet started, nor has an engineering firm been selected to oversee the development of aspects of the new stadium.
'The only updates is it is still in progress,' Stacy said. 'The next phase would obviously be trying to get some bleachers or lights in. It is still something that is a project and it is something we want to complete.'
In the meantime, the G-Men of Graham High School would presumably continue to play their home games at Mitchell Stadium in neighboring Bluefield, which the high school has been doing for years.
Stacy said the school system's contract with the city of Bluefield for the use of Mitchell Stadium is back up for consideration, adding that the contract will be presented to the school board next week
'It is our contract year,' Stacy said. 'The city will send me a contract and I'll present it to the school board.'
Stacy said it will be up to the school board to decide where the G-Men play, adding that other options for home games include the football stadium at Tazewell High School.
The Bluefield Board of Directors are scheduled Tuesday to consider stadium usage contracts for both Tazewell County Schools, Mercer County Schools, Bluefield University and Bluefield State University, according to City Clerk Anthony Heltzel.
'It is multiple counties,' Heltzel said of the stadium agreements scheduled to be considered by the city board Tuesday. 'It's Tazewell County. It's Mercer County Schools. It's the two universities.'
Heltzel said Tazewell County Schools has been presented the contract that will be considered by the city board on Tuesday.
The G-Men of Graham High School have been playing their home football games at Mitchell Stadium for years. The annual contest between Graham and Bluefield, which kicks off the football season in the region, typically draws a crowd of close to 10,000 at Mitchell Stadium.
There is still no final cost estimate for the new stadium project at Graham High School.
Stacy said those cost estimates will be determined as the school system moves forward with different aspects of the project.
Stacy said the goal is to build the stadium in steps with cost estimates being determined individually for additions such as bleachers, lights, a press box and other necessary parts of the stadium.
'Again we will look for grant money,' Stacy said. 'We will pursue local funding. Any type of external revenues sources we can find.'
The conditional use permit approved last December by the Bluefield, Va. Town Council included eight conditions that the school system must meet to operate the new stadium.
During events when traffic could obstruct emergency services, the conditional use permit specifies that a traffic plan must be established and coordinated so emergency access to all the dwellings around and on school property will be maintained throughout the event.
Other conditions address issues including noise, traffic and the stadium's lights. For example, Tazewell County Public Schools must meet with town officials and coordinate events requiring the town's support and/or any events that could produce noise or light disturbances after 10 pm. and before 6 a.m., according to the conditional use permit. These plans would include traffic control, emergency services cover and access, and reimbursement requests for police.
Another condition addresses 'destructive wildlife' such as bears and raccoons that could be attracted by trash left behind by sports fans and people attending events at the stadium. According to the conditional use permit, the town would require Tazewell County Public Schools to clean the stadium immediately after an event and put trash in existing dumpsters.
Billboards and scoreboards also would need to be located inside the stadium's grounds, plus they must face only inward and toward the people attending the stadium's events. Any signage facing outward would need to be coordinated with the town of Bluefield's zoning official, the conditional use permit said.
Another condition of the permit addresses noise. For events on school property after 10 p.m. and before 6 a.m., the school system will be required to end noise disturbances within 30 minutes after the last official event and end light disturbances within 60 minutes after the last official event.
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