Aurora Albaron reloads a creel rack at the Astroturf plant in Dalton, Ga., in this file photo.ARTIFICIAL TURFSome area high schools with artificial turf on their athletic fields are Gordon Lee, Calhoun and Ridgeland in Georgia and Baylor and McCallie in Chattanooga.
DAYTON, Tenn. — Rhea County High School’s football stadium needs an artificial surface to handle the increased use expected when the new high school opens and the current building becomes a middle school, school board members were told.
Director of Schools Jerry Levengood said Thursday he has had estimates of $1.4 million to build a new football field and surrounding track if a contractor handles the entire project. But he said with local support and contributions, “I believe we can do the whole project for $700,000.”
He said that when the new high school opens, as many as seven athletic teams, plus the band and JROTC unit, will be competing for time on the field.
Board member Chip Pendergrass said, “If we don’t do this, we’ll have to build a practice field, and that’s going to cost $200,000.”