DAHILL
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Alabama A&M athletics: Bulldogs will host prep football games on campus
Published: Friday, June 29, 2012, 10:34 AM Updated: Friday, June 29, 2012, 10:41 AM
By Reggie Benson, The Huntsville Times
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/06/alabama_am_athletics_bulldogs_1.html
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M, the city of Huntsville and the Huntsville City School Board of Education reached a joint agreement Thursday night that will result in new articificial turf at Louis Crews Stadium with middle and high school games to be played there possibly as early as this season.
"How big of a thrill is it going to be for players to run into that big, magnificent stadium?," city councilman Bill Kling asked.
The agreement, which will cost the city $289,000 and runs through August 31, 2021, calls for the university to complete the installation of the artificial turf no later than Oct. 1.
If the turf is not installed, the middle and high school games will have to be relocated and the Board of Education will receive a credit against charges becoming due under the agreement for later use of the stadium.
The agreement also calls for the university to allow the Huntsville Sports Commission to use the stadium.
"It's a beautiful stadium that needs to be used," Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle said.
Battle said the city needed a nice venue for middle and high school games and striking a deal to play at Louis Crews Stadium saved $6million, which he said was the cost for the city to build a new stadium from scratch.
The board and the city will pay A&M a stadium use fee of $1,750 per game and will pay for stadium cleaning, security, scoreboard and clock operators and announcers. The Board or its designated host school will retain parking revenue.
A&M officials haven't started on the project and sources say it could take up to 10 weeks to install the turf and that's if everything goes well. Because of that, there is some concern if the turf will be installed by the due date. If the project is not completed, A&M may have to play its home opener [- the Louis Crews Classic against Prairie View on Sept. 15 [- at Milton Frank Stadium.
Bryan Hicks, A&M's new athletics director, said he would comment today after the school's Board of Trustees meeting, while head football coach Anthony Jones couldn't be reached for comment.
City councilman Will Culver was thrilled with the agreement.
"I think it's going to be a good econmic tool for north Huntsville with more people going to games," he said.
Middle school games are slated to be played on Monday nights with high schools games to be played on Fridays.
Kling, Culver and councilman Richard Showers are all A&M graduates.
According to the Huntsville City varsity and middle school schedules, 16 games are slated to be played at A&M, beginning Aug. 31 with Huntsville taking on Sparkman in varsity action.
A press conference had been scheduled last February at Louis Crews Stadium to announce the agreement, but it was canceled.
Published: Friday, June 29, 2012, 10:34 AM Updated: Friday, June 29, 2012, 10:41 AM
By Reggie Benson, The Huntsville Times
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/06/alabama_am_athletics_bulldogs_1.html
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M, the city of Huntsville and the Huntsville City School Board of Education reached a joint agreement Thursday night that will result in new articificial turf at Louis Crews Stadium with middle and high school games to be played there possibly as early as this season.
"How big of a thrill is it going to be for players to run into that big, magnificent stadium?," city councilman Bill Kling asked.
The agreement, which will cost the city $289,000 and runs through August 31, 2021, calls for the university to complete the installation of the artificial turf no later than Oct. 1.
If the turf is not installed, the middle and high school games will have to be relocated and the Board of Education will receive a credit against charges becoming due under the agreement for later use of the stadium.
The agreement also calls for the university to allow the Huntsville Sports Commission to use the stadium.
"It's a beautiful stadium that needs to be used," Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle said.
Battle said the city needed a nice venue for middle and high school games and striking a deal to play at Louis Crews Stadium saved $6million, which he said was the cost for the city to build a new stadium from scratch.
The board and the city will pay A&M a stadium use fee of $1,750 per game and will pay for stadium cleaning, security, scoreboard and clock operators and announcers. The Board or its designated host school will retain parking revenue.
A&M officials haven't started on the project and sources say it could take up to 10 weeks to install the turf and that's if everything goes well. Because of that, there is some concern if the turf will be installed by the due date. If the project is not completed, A&M may have to play its home opener [- the Louis Crews Classic against Prairie View on Sept. 15 [- at Milton Frank Stadium.
Bryan Hicks, A&M's new athletics director, said he would comment today after the school's Board of Trustees meeting, while head football coach Anthony Jones couldn't be reached for comment.
City councilman Will Culver was thrilled with the agreement.
"I think it's going to be a good econmic tool for north Huntsville with more people going to games," he said.
Middle school games are slated to be played on Monday nights with high schools games to be played on Fridays.
Kling, Culver and councilman Richard Showers are all A&M graduates.
According to the Huntsville City varsity and middle school schedules, 16 games are slated to be played at A&M, beginning Aug. 31 with Huntsville taking on Sparkman in varsity action.
A press conference had been scheduled last February at Louis Crews Stadium to announce the agreement, but it was canceled.
I was under the impression all HSs/jrHSs had enough parking so it was basically free, unless it was @ a major venue like Cowboys stadium and even then, they only charged 5-10$ vs the customary 45$ for each vehicle. 