As the dream of a new field house for San Angelo Stadium comes closer to reality for the San Angelo Independent School District, the Angelo State University Athletics Department is pitching in since any improvement in stadium facilities helps out Rams football as well.
As a result, the new leasing contract will mean up to $15,000 a year in additional funds annually for the next five years to the SAISD athletic program to support the new field house.
“San Angelo Stadium is our home, too,” said Kathleen Brasfield, ASU’s athletic director, “and we wanted to do our part to help the new field house become a reality.”
In past years, the university has paid $2,000 per game to use the facility with SAISD retaining the concession rights. Under the new agreement suggested by ASU President Joseph C. Rallo, ASU would pay a flat fee of $25,000 per year and still maintain the concession rights. With five ASU home games scheduled this football season, for instance, SAISD will have an additional $15,000 to go toward the new facility.
SAISD Superintendent Dr. Carol Ann Bonds said, “SAISD is extremely grateful to Angelo State for the contributions they will be making over the next five years to the field house project. We are honored by their commitment and look forward to meeting mutual goals.”
“This is not just about ASU or SAISD,” ASU President Rallo said, “but the entire community because a modern field house is an economic development tool that can help bring to the community additional high school playoff games that we are now losing because of the existing facilities.”
San Angelo Convention and Visitor Bureau estimates put the economic impact of a football playoff game at a minimum of $70 per person. While San Angelo Stadium has been a regular venue for six-man games as well as some 1A and 2A schools, bigger schools with their larger fan bases – and greater economic impact – have not utilized San Angelo Stadium in recent years. Attracting bigger schools would mean more money into the local economy.
Under consideration by SAISD is an approximately 30,000-square-foot facility that would provide four dressing rooms for visiting teams as well as facilities for Central High School athletic teams. Though state-of-the-art when they were constructed 52 years ago, the existing field house in recent years has experienced various infrastructure problems.
The ASU support underscores longstanding cooperation between the university and SAISD.
SAISD Athletic Director Rex Scofield said, “A new 30,000-square-foot field house will ensure that San Angelo Stadium is one of the best sporting venues in West Texas. Both Angelo State and...Go to Angelo State's website for the rest of the article
No comments:
Post a Comment