The first of four light towers at Gordon Wood Stadium was removed Tuesday, part of the improvements and renovations that were approved with the passage of a $59 million bond in May 2023.
The light tower on the south end of the home side of the stadium was the first to come down, as LED lights will soon replace those that illuminated the playing surface at Gordon Wood Stadium for more than 20 years.
Speaking of the playing surface, installation of the new artificial turf continued and approximately one-quarter to one-third of the field is covered. With Tuesday’s rain, completion of the turf installation may continue into next week.
The rest of the stadium renovations – ADA/code improvements (ramp access, aisles and stairs renovated for code compliance, ADA parking), new concessions and restrooms, home bleacher addition of 1,000 seats, and a new press box with elevator – will begin after the conclusion of the 2024 Lions’ football regular season.
At the baseball and softball fields, as of Tuesday all light poles have been taken down, to go along with the outfield fence at softball and the bleachers, concession stand, press box and restrooms at baseball.
Both fields will receive new fencing and new lights, along with artificial turf, while the baseball field will also feature new bleachers, dugouts, a backstop, and a canopy over batting cages. A parking lot will also be built between the two fields with an entrance from Magnolia Avenue. The projects are expected to be completed before the start of the 2025 seasons.