Bentworth seeking unconventional way to fund new stadium
BENTLEYVILLE – Bentworth School Board is seeking an unconventional approach to fund the construction of a new sports stadium without raising real estate taxes.
The board has a committee considering a number of fundraising approaches to construct the stadium at the practice field on the district campus at 150 Bearcat Drive in Bentleyville, school board member John Petrisek said.
“The old stadium in Ellsworth is outdated,” Petrisek said.
He said the board sought an architectural study that determined the cost to renovate the Ellsworth field isn’t much lower than building a new stadium at a cost of nearly $4 million.
The board is seeking input from the district’s booster clubs and gauging public interest in generating private money to construct the stadium. It would include a track and fieldhouse. There is no date set for construction to begin.
He said the school board doesn’t want to spend its surplus account to construct a stadium and then furlough teachers to pay for it, as other districts have done.
Former students have expressed an interest in the fundraising project.
“We’re pretty confident we should be able to get something done,” Petrisek said.