The San Marcos Rattlers baseball and softball teams will have new fields by the time the spring season kicks off.
Jason Gossett, assistant superintendent of finance and support services, said construction of the stadium, athletic fields and activity center approved as part of a bond election in May is on schedule. Builders are installing synthetic turf on the baseball and softball fields in time for the winter and spring seasons. District officials expect the football stadium will be completed in time for the 2014–15 school year.
Gossett also said district officials have been meeting with businesses in the area to discuss naming rights for the stadium. District officials have proposed building a scoreboard that would measure nearly 2,800 square feet in size and would include sponsorship opportunities for companies. The holder of the platinum spot at the top of the scoreboard would also be able to name the field. Officials estimate that if every sponsorship spot on the scoreboard were sold, it could generate $240,000 each year for the district.
"We've had a lot of interest [from businesses]," Gossett said. "We haven't had any commitments yet, but it's a substantial commitment, so we're still out making presentations and helping to spread the word. We're looking for partners in this."
In addition to seating for 8,000 spectators, the stadium will include a 4,500-square-foot press box and locker room area.
The football stadium, fields and activity center have been budgeted for $18.4 million and $13.6 million, respectively. Gossett said some of that total includes permitting and other technical aspects of the project. Actual construction is expected to total just less than $30 million.