What are your thoughts?

As most of you know, we have all the options available for you to look at and to make your vote count in the poll. But, what we don’t have is a place for you to voice your opinions.

Are you ready to move, or do you want stay? If you would move, where would you move to? If you were to stay, what changes would you make, if any? What would the new stadium look like in your eyes?

Let’s hear it Greenville (and surrounding areas), don’t be shy! This is the place to be heard.

What are the Options? Option 5: Switch Fields

Option 5: Switch Swap Yellow Jacket Stadium with Black Field

Cost: Approximately $2.2 – 5 Million

With option five, Greenville would be switching Yellow Jacket Stadium with Black Field, football would play at Yellow Jacket Stadium and soccer would play at Black Field.

What are the options? Option 4: New Stadium

Option 4: New Stadium

Cost: Approximately $5-6.5 Million

With option four, Greenville’s football program would play at a completely new stadium.

What are the options? Option 3: Upgrade Yellow Jacket Stadium

Option 3: Upgrade Yellow Jacket Stadium (current home of soccer)

Cost: Approximately $2-4.5 Million

With option three, Greenville would move their football’s home games to Yellow Jacket Stadium, but a great deal of changed would still need to be made.

What are the options? Option 2: Renovate Black Field

Option 2: Renovate Black Field

Cost: Approximately $6.5 Million

With option two, Greenville would continue to play football at black field, but with a great deal of changes made. The reason the cost is $6.5 Million is because if it’s going to be done, it will be done right and be ready to have football played there for another 130 years. The essential renovations mentioned in option one would be completed . The field would be completely leveled, which the end zones have already been this past fall, with a 5 yard barrier from the field to the nearest set of stands, or walkway. New concession stands would be added to accommodate spectators in a much more efficient way. The bathrooms would be brought up to not only code, but also more inviting to users. They currently do not meet code requirements for the capacity of Black Field. There would be a new locker room building that houses both Greenville and visitor locker rooms as well as showers for players. A new stairway from the field to the bathrooms would be completely redone to come up to current code requirements. Other renovations would be added as well, such as changing the angle of the field, moving the fence and visitors stands back to alleviate the below 5-yard barrier that is currently along move of the home stands. The parking lot would also be paved and lined to fit more spectators.

The problems with renovating Black Field are that there is still no large structure for spectators to go to in case of a weather emergency. There are still parking limitations (though more would be available with the current parking lot being paved and lined). The team and band members would still need to be bussed to the field every home game, taking up valuable parking spaces. There would be temporary construction issues. And public perception would be improved, but still disconnected from the school.

Make your vote count!

What are the options? Option 1: Do Nothing

Option 1: Do Nothing.

Cost: Currently $0 additional dollars, but approximately $300K – $500 K very soon.

With option one, Greenville would continue to play football at black field, exactly how it has done for generations. Saying “do nothing” is ultimately not an option, because of code requirements that will need to be either added, or changed. some of these things are lights for the playing field, handicapped parking spaces, visitor stairs, and field level access. The current lights need to have shatter proof lenses, and need to be moved back to be able to cover the whole field, which they currently do not do adequately. Designated handicapped parking spaces need to be paved near the entrance of Black Field. The visitor’s stairway from bathroom level to field level is not up to date and would have to be changed to a cement ramp. Field Level access would have to be updated for paramedics to come to the field in case of an emergency. Pavement would have to be set to the edge of the fence. All of these improvements would cost upwards of $300K-$500K, showing that truly doing nothing is impossible; essential improvements need to be made.

The problems still remain that there are parking limitations for fans, players and band members need to be taken to the field for every game by bus. The bathrooms, concessions, and locker rooms would remain the same as they are now. There is also concern for spectator safety in case of a weather emergency (lightning strike, tornado, etc.) since there is no large building around for people to go to. Also, public perception would be that Black Field will continue to have poor facilities.

Make your vote count!

Subscribe to RSS Feeds

If you’re at all interested in knowing the ins and outs of what is going on with Greenville’s Black Field conflict, please feel free to subscribe to RSS feeds. The button is located at the top right of the webpage.

Every time there is new information on the website, you will be notified when you open your browser.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an old alumni living in Texas, a current student, or even if you’re not associated with Greenville directly but are interested…

Thank you.

Links to Further News…

Here are some links to other blogs and articles about the Black Field Conflict… What are your thoughts on what should happen?

Bruce Bentley’s Blog

Greenville schools want opinions on Black Field

Black Field Petition is on Facebook (Article)

Black Field’s Facebook Page

Emotional Comments on controversy

Football Facilities note (From Key Communicator)

As you may be aware, we have continued our analysis of options with respect to providing appropriate facilities for our athletic programs. At the january board of Education meeting, the superintendent presented findings with respect to property deed and community history, building and health code concerns, and presented options for addressing the concerns.

It is absoulutely impertative that our community understands:

1. We are in no position to pursue the funding necessary for any significant construction project. Our economy and the impact of more taxes could cripple already fragile personal budgets.

2. We are unable to prevent allocating some, and in some cases substantial funds, to address legitimate health, safety, and operational concerns at our current Black Field site.

3. While several long-range options exist, they create conflicting short-term actions. Without a long-range vision for our programs, we will be forced to allocate funts which are likely later to be found less than prudent.

The fact is, our resources are limited. It deeply troubles us that without a clear picture of where we should be going, we run the risk of spending those limited resources in an inefficient manner. For example, replacing a set of stairs could be done for a few hundred dollars, but those stairs will not fully address out concerns for access, and will again need to be replaced in a few short years. If, instead, we knew we were going to use the facility as we presently do for many years to come, we might consider a longer-term improvement of a concrete ramp, and modifications to fencing and railings.

We will be providing a number of public forum sessions to share information that gives our public the real issues we are facing, and provides the opportunity for input with respect to setting a vision for long term planning based upon facts and understanding. These dates will be widely published and we hope you will consider attending!

Janet Ralph, President (Greenville Board of Education)

Peter Haines, Superintendent (Greenville Public Schools)

Dedication Announcement (1936)

October 15, 1936

The Black Athletic Field, donated to the school by the late Dr. D. K. Black, will be dedicated Friday afternoon, before the football game between Greenville and Mt. Pleasant high schools.

This portion of the city south of the Union school building, is remembered by older alumni as an unforbidding part of the gully that was crossed at Franklin street by an old wodden bridge, on which they romantically carved their names. The “sand lot”, as it was known in later years, was filled in to provide a good playing field, the North and South sides were buttresed with cement walls, and a broad approach build on the Northeast corner, near the school building. This is the third year that football games have been played there. It is of interest that Jimmy Edsall, a grandson of Dr. Black is a member of this season’s football squad.

Courtesy of Flat River Historical Society