Published: May 21, 2007 11:09 pm         

Spartan Stadium to get $1.2 million facelift

The Greenbrier to oversee fundraising for collaborative community project

FAIRLEA — First-year Greenbrier East High School football coach Mike Michael announced Monday that through a collaborative effort among The Greenbrier, Lynch Construction and the Spartan Athletic Foundation, a new $1.2 million facility upgrade for Spartan Stadium will include a new synthetic turf football field.

Michael said the old grass playing field will be replaced with “A-Turf,” a state-of-the-art synthetic turf that is designed to decrease the number of injuries normally associated with grass fields and other Astroturf playing surfaces.

“It’s going to be a mono-filiment and micro-fiber type field,” Michael said Monday. “It’s not like the old Astroturf fields. There will be two and a half inches of fiber on the surface and the playing field will be filled in with sand and ground up rubber pellets.”

The Spartan Athletic Foundation, headed by Greenbrier East High School principal Jeff Bryant, will coordinate the fundraising efforts for the $1.2 million project. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

The major benefactor for the new field is The Greenbrier. Paul Ratchford, president and CEO of the resort, said last week that he personally approached CSX President Michael Ward about securing funds for the new field and will help “oversee fundraising” efforts.

While specific details are still being worked out, Michael said The Greenbrier has committed $300,000 toward the new field and also secured a 10-year loan for $600,000, which will be paid off through fundraising efforts by the Spartan Athletic Foundation. Lynch Construction will provide services that equal at least $300,000, he said.

“Mr. Ratchford was the one who headlined this whole thing,” Michael said. “Were all going to make this a community project.”

Greenbrier County Superintendent John Curry said Monday that the new field will have multiple uses and is an example of “21st Century partnerships.”

“This is going to benefit the students at Greenbrier East for years to come,” Curry said.

Groundbreaking ceremonies are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Spartan Stadium.

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com