Stadium work advancing but asphalt and weather delays persist; board hears tornado damage assessment

Project staff updated the board on the stadium construction and recent storm damage at the March 19 meeting.

The project presenter (speaker 2) said crews had installed Musco field lights, completed concrete piers for bleachers and were preparing the turf base. "The bleachers are scheduled to deliver here April 9," he said, and added that turf pieces were due to be delivered the following Thursday. He warned that asphalt work depends on plant reopenings — a projected April 8 reopening could still delay paving until around April 15 — and noted several curing windows are required before track surfacing can proceed.

Board members asked whether the project remained on schedule; presenter and construction staff said the schedule was constrained mainly by asphalt plant availability and weather, but they described significant recent progress on stone, curbs and concession rough‑ins.

Separately, staff reported tornado damage at the site and elsewhere on campus. The construction representative and the clerk/treasurer (speaker 3) said a Connex storage box had been flipped, some concession‑stand materials were damaged beyond repair and a job trailer was displaced. "We did have the tornado come through. We did have damage," the clerk said, describing ongoing inspections to identify roof, gravel, window and interior trailer damage. The district and the construction contractor are collecting assessments and will submit claims to their respective insurers; some construction items are covered by the separate construction insurance policy.

What happens next: Project staff will continue staging work around weather windows, coordinate turf and bleacher installation once materials arrive, and submit damage assessments and repair plans to insurers for approval. The board did not take a formal action during the update.