Pauls Valley’s football stadium and track are set to undergo a major overhaul next summer. The Pauls Valley Board of Education last week approved moving forward with a project to replace the grass football field at Wacker Stadium with artificial turf and expand the existing track from six lanes to eight lanes.
Pauls Valley Superintendent Brett Knight said as district officials and board of education members have discussed what is financially feasible for the district in terms of building projects and improving existing facilities over the next few years, they have tried to identify projects that will increase opportunities for students and have a broad impact across multiple areas, as well as potentially benefit the community.
The stadium renovation project fits into that strategic plan, Knight told board members at their regular meeting Dec. 10.
In addition to the district’s football program, Knight said the stadium improvements will benefit the Pride of the Valley Marching Band, offering improved practice and performance areas for the band and for hosting competitions, as well as the track and field and cross-country programs, which use the facility year-round.
The stadium regularly serves as a regional host site for Special Olympics, and the new turf will also allow the field to be used for community youth programs, including soccer.
“If the city wants to do that, we can set that up and it’s not going to hurt the field. That’s what it’s made for,” Knight said. “We are excited about what these improvements will mean for our students and community members.”
The project will include pulling up the existing six-lane track, which Knight said is almost to the end of its lifespan, and replacing it from the base up with an eight-lane track.
The football field will also be resurfaced, the grass replaced with “the latest and greatest” artificial turf and an improved drainage system.
“It’s going to help us with our maintenance costs, and really make it where it’s a year-round useable facility for multiple programs,” Knight said.
The project will require the visitor stands on the east side of the stadium be moved further to the east and a roof overhang on the concession stands on the east side of the field will need to be removed, though the building itself should not impede the renovations, according to Knight.
The district is also exploring whether the fencing around the existing track can be removed and those materials potentially reused as the renovations are completed.
A separate renovation project is planned to improve concession areas and restrooms at the stadium ahead of the 2026 track season.
The stadium renovation project is expected to cost the district $2.1 million. A portion of that – $350,000 – will come from anonymous private donors who have committed funds to the project, Knight said. The remainder will come from the district’s existing building funds.
“This isn’t a tax increase. We’re not asking to pass a bond. This is no cost to our citizens,” Knight said. “This is using donations that have been given to the school district, potentially, to support this, and funds that we already have that have to be earmarked for facility renovations and facility projects.”
Board members asked about the proposed timeline for the stadium renovations. Knight said there are two start-date options. The project could start as soon as the spring track season is completed, but the district would need to find an alternate site for graduation ceremonies in May, or the project could get underway after graduation and the district would need to schedule the first few football games of the 2026 season as away games.
Barring significant weather delays, the turf installation can typically be completed in less than a month, officials said, but the track installation will take longer, requiring an estimated 45 days for the track to cure.
No firm start dates were decided at the December meeting.
The board is expected to discuss financing documents related to the project during their regular meeting Jan. 14.
