CLARKSDALE- Groundbreaking for the new football field set to be built behind Clarksdale High School took place Wednesday, April 24 during the afternoon in front of local leaders, educators, coaches and athletes.
This followed bids being unanimously approved for construction of the new stadium at the Clarksdale Municipal School District board meeting the week before. Xcavators Inc. out of Falkner will be doing Phase I of the project, which consists of dirt work, for $2,548,800.
Roberts Builders Inc. from Ripley will be doing Phase II of the project for $4,248,200. Phase II is the building of the stadium.
The board rejected bids earlier in the year ranging from $7.2 million to $7,965,000.
Xcavators Inc. and Roberts Builders Inc. were the only bidders this time around.
CMSD superintendent Dennis Dupree said one of the reasons the current bids were better was original plans were to build a parking lot during Phase II of the project. Instead, the district will use the parking spaces it already has at the high school.
“We’ve got plenty of parking,” Dupree said.
He said a scoreboard and locker rooms were not included in the bids and will be purchased separately.
Dupree said the new football field will also have a track the public will be able to use. He noted it will be one of the few public facilities in the area with a track.
“I feel good,” Dupree said. “It’s been a long time. It’s been a very lengthy process. It took a lot of patience, but I really feel good about where we are with it.
“Everybody wanted to see it happen right away, but it was a lot of effort to get to this point.”
Wildcats football coach and athletic director Henry Johnson shared Dupree’s sentiments.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to build a new stadium,” Johnson said. “It feels good. It will motivate the kids to work hard, do their best, give them something to be excited about also.”
The football team currently plays at Crumpton Field on Lee Drive.
Johnson said the new football stadium should be ready by the 2020 season. He added there could be a track meet at the field in the spring of 2020.
It will be a grass field.
“Everything’s going to be modernized and up to date – training facilities, training rooms, dressing rooms, lockers, concessions,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there will also be more opportunities for tailgating at the new field.
Dupree said work on the field was scheduled to begin this week.
The funding for both phases of the project will come from the $8.2 million bond the community voted for in 2017.
Dupree expects funds from the bond to be left over after the stadium is built and said they would be used to improve school facilities.
“We know Oakhurst (Middle School), we’ve got to finish roofing over there,” Dupree said. “That’s for sure. That probably will be the remainder of the money.”
Dupree said the floor could possibly be resurfaced at Kirkpatrick Health & Medical Science Magnet school with some of the funds from the bond.
Dupree thanked former board president Thomas Shaw, who was in attendance at the groundbreaking, for hiring him as superintendent.
“Mr. Shaw was the chair when I first came on board,” Dupree said. “They gave me this opportunity to be here. I really appreciate that Mr. Shaw. It’s been a great run. Some of these things would not have been possible without the board hiring me back in 2007. I appreciate it. Thank you.”
Dupree is scheduled to retire at the end of the school year.
“I’m real proud of everything,” said Shaw about Dupree. “I think he’s done a great job.”
Former superintendent Donell Harrell also had an optimistic outlook.
“It’s a historic moment,” he said. “Been waiting for that for a long time.”
Clarksdale mayor Chuck Espy was on hand for the groundbreaking.
“It is a monumental moment in Clarksdale’s history,” Espy said. “In 2019, we are seeing enormous construction that’s happening in the city. And guess what? Construction in education. This is for the future of kids in Clarksdale. I’m very proud of what Mr. Dupree has done. I’m very proud of the school.”
Wildcats junior running back, strong safety and return man Queston Skipper and junior cornerback and wide receiver Chris Williams both had fathers to play for Clarksdale on Crumpton Field.
“I feel like we needed it bad because the field has been here for a long time,” Skipper said. “My father played on it, too. Plus, we needed the track bad.”
“I feel like it’s great for the community,” said Williams in agreement. “It will motivate players to come out here and play, come really prepared.”
Sophomore wingback D.K. Bays had a cousin play for the Wildcats.
“I feel like honestly we’re fixing to make some noise around Mississippi,” he said. “As we start making noise by playing good, we’ve got to look good, too. We’ve got to have a good facility, too.”
Junior wide receiver and cornerback Tommy Washington is ready to get going.
“I’m just glad they finally started on it,” he said.
Junior center Kaleb Brown said the new field will benefit many athletes.
“I feel like it will be good for the program because we have new field,” he said. “We will be able to have track meets here and stuff.”
Lady Wildcats runners were excited to have a home field for track season.
Junior Khaleyla Gamble competes in the 4x400-meter relay, 4x800-meter relay and 800-meter run.
“I think it will be better for us,” she said. “We can run on our time. We can practice a lot instead of running out there.”
Junior Ty’Reuna Jackson competes in the 4x400-meter relay and 4x100-meter relay.
“I feel like it will be better for us to have a track here and for the city to see what Clarksdale High track can do,” she said.
Junior Quinana Dotson competes in the 4x800-meter relay and 800-meter and mile runs.
“I feel like it will allow us to train better and I feel like our school will be proud of us and proud of what we accomplish when we can actually show it,” she said.
