PEORIA, IL -- The future of Peoria Stadium may be bright, since most people at an informal meeting on the stadium on Sept. 20 want it saved.
The stadium built in 1905 (!) and its 1937-era track, need $1.8 million in upgrades, Peoria District 150 School Board member Dan Adler said. But of the dozen people from the audience who presented ideas, only one wanted it demolished and replaced, and one suggested using it for a private school.
The meeting took place at the stadium, which reminded me of Wrigley Field -- solid, functional, somewhat dated but also historic. In fact it likely could be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, which would add to its appeal.
Many of the speakers stressed the history of the stadium. "It's a gem," one said, the only covered high school stadium in the state. It can seat 4,000 people, and could be marketed to the surrounding 16 counties for activities.
"It's hard to put a price tag on tradition," said Gale Thetford, an Illinois Central College trustee.
The board has apparently ruled out selling it for commercial development. It should somehow be used, and saved as green space, a document stated.
The ideas for the stadium included expanding its use for other sports such as soccer, LaCross and rugby. And it could be developed with a public/private partnership, a special not-for-profit that would guarantee it is open to the schools and public.
Better promotion and marketing would help pay for renovation, someone said. One person suggested giving it to Notre Dame High School for a new school site, by swapping it for property Notre Dame owns on Allen Road, which then could be given to the Peoria Park District.
Here is a recording of the comments.
Board critic Terry Knapp suggested pressuring the city of Peoria to spend its riverboat tax dollars on the stadium. The city has never given a penny of that to the schools, he said.
Passage of the sales tax referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot would provide $4.2 million annually to District 150 for facilities, a potential source of revenue for the stadium upgrade.
The school district will accept comments from the public on the stadium through its website.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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