Athletic Field Turf Helps Fund Projects

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — As school budgets continue to decrease, school districts are finding alternative ways to save on construction and renovation projects. One of the latest ways: weaving advertising logos into the sidelines of athletic fields.

Belleville Township High School District No. 201 is getting new football and soccer fields at two of its high schools. Belleville West High School’s dual football and soccer field debuted on Nov. 8 when the Maroons hosted defending state champion Chicago Mt. Carmel in a high school football playoff game. The project debuted less than three months after construction started on Aug. 20.

Construction on Belleville East High School’s new field started upon the completion of the Belleville West field, and will be finished this month. St. Louis-based Byrne & Jones Sports helped complete the synthetic turf fields, which are estimated to last 12 to 15 years.

“This has been a new process for all of us, so it is great to have a highly experienced firm like Byrne & Jones Sports doing the installation,” said Dr. Dosier. “Byrne & Jones has been with us every step of the way and has made it real easy. We were delighted they able to complete the Belleville West field in time for the playoff game.”
The fields at both high schools feature seven-foot-by-10-foot ad panels that weave civic and community business logos into the sidelines. To date, the ad panels have paid for more than a third of the cost of the $1.38 million athletic fields project.

“We’ve received incredible community support for the new fields,” said Dr. Jeff Dosier, superintendent of Belleville Township High School District No. 201, in a statement. “The ad panels have been a great way to defray some of the costs and avoid allocating any property tax revenues to the project. Businesses, civic leadership, booster clubs, parents and students have really stepped up to the plate to support the new fields.”

The ad panels are custom made with the logos of supporters woven into the synthetic turf and placed along the sidelines of the dual football and soccer fields. Companies are charged $12,000 for each turf ad, which can be paid off in five years. To date, 23 businesses and organizations have committed to turf ads at each of the schools, generating more than $500,000 for the project. Among those commitments are Lindenwood University-Belleville, Bank of Belleville, Belleville Memorial Hospital, Mike’s Automotive, Chick-fil-A and Curt Smith Sporting Goods, to name a few. Additional funding has come through a bank loan and the district’s Turf for the Teams fundraisers, which is still accepting donations. To date, the school has raised $1.138 million between the turf ads and donations.

In managing the project, Byrne & Jones ensured that the fields were supported by a strong subbase. Calhoun, Ga.-based Shaw Sports Turf and St. Louis-based Millenia Professional Services also helped Byrne & Jones on the project.

Belleville Township High School District No. 201 serves 4,800 students in St. Clair County, Ill., and the communities of Belleville, Fairview Heights, Swansea and Millstadt.