DPS said it will work to preserve the historic character of the stadium, originally built in 1949 with funds raised by the community, while also upgrading the stadium into the 21st century.
Welcome Stadium is the Dayton school district’s football and track stadium on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard, also used by the University of Dayton’s football team.
“These renovations are much-needed and long overdue,” said Elizabeth Lolli, superintendent of the Dayton Public Schools. “When renovations are completed, Dayton Public Schools students and the Dayton community will have a state-of-the-art complex to use and enjoy.”
DPS said a team of district officials, school board members, staff and members of the community are providing input on the renovations.
Last August, Dayton schools announced plans to renovate Welcome Stadium and authorized Lolli to begin hiring consultants and contractors to shape and execute the project. School documents at the time used the terms “renovation/new build.”
DPS named Skanska USA as the manager of the project and awarded an initial contract of $46,000 in November for, “due diligence, assistance with development of the design-build procurement documentation, evaluation of design-build proposals, contract negotiations, assistance with development of separate bid packages if necessary, and development of detailed budget and a milestone schedule.”
A 2019 preliminary estimate from the school district suggested budgeting $10 million for stadium repairs.
The $1.19 million contract approved by the school board Jan. 18 is with Motz Group, Inc., a turf supplier near Cincinnati that has installed turf fields for the Cincinnati Bengals and several local high schools.
Skanska senior vice president and regional executive Curtis Elswick said he anticipates the artificial turf field and track would be replaced by the end of the summer, with design work on other improvements anticipated to begin in April.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
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