Thursday, April 26, 2012
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
The Rayen Stadium Renovation Project is $116,000 closer to its $3 million goal.
At a school board meeting Wednesday, Ed Matey, district athletic director, announced that amount in pledges for the project.
“It’s been a very good month as far as raising money was concerned,” Matey said.
The pledges came from Covelli Enterprises, Compco Industries and James P. and Ellen J. Tressel, $20,000 each; 100-year Rayen School Class, $15,000; Dennis and Janet Haines, the Watson Foundation and an anonymous donor, $10,000 each; Prout Broiler, $5,000; Atty. Ted Roberts, $3,000; and Atty. Alan Kretzer and Ken Halbert and family, $1,000 each.
The Rayen School Class of 1961 also contributed $1,300 to the campaign. Kretzer, a representative of that class and a campaign- committee member, challenged other graduating classes of city schools to donate, too.
The $3 million project will restore the dilapidated Rayen Stadium to its former glory and have it ready for the upcoming football season. The stadium was built in 1924.
The district plans to have the stadium finished by Aug. 15 with the first game — East vs. Ursuline — played there Aug. 25.
Work is under way on the renovations.
“The foundation for the old press box has been removed, the old wooden seats have been removed, and we plan to have it completed by Aug. 15,” said Harry Evans, chief of operations.
City high-school football players haven’t played on a home field since 1993. Teams played most of their games away or paid to use the Youngstown State University field.
The new pledges add to the $1.7 million which already has been raised.
The plan for the new stadium includes synthetic turf, concession area, press box and updated seating to accommodate 7,000 fans.