School board will take closer look at proposals for central stadium

YOUNGSTOWN -- City school board members will consider proposals for a central stadium during an upcoming special meeting.
The gathering is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the district administration building, 20 W. Wood St.
Board members may vote at the meeting on which stadium proposal to further explore, M. Mike McNair, district spokesman, said Thursday.
A final vote on actual construction of a facility lies in the future, McNair said.
Being proposed is construction of a central stadium that would serve Chaney and East high schools, which will be the only city high schools remaining after a schools construction project now under way is completed.
City schools' football teams have been using YSU's Stambaugh Stadium for their home games, which costs the district about $2,500 for each contest, McNair said.
One option would be for a nonprofit group to build a stadium and to lease it to the school district, McNair said.
A proposal has been developed for a $5.5 million, 8,000-seat stadium and track set along the Market Street Bridge, not far from where the downtown arena is being built.
Another idea would be for the school district to construct its own stadium, which would feature a football field, track and locker rooms, McNair said.