Middletown Schools awarded $500K for Barnitz Stadium renovations

Efforts to renovate the 60-year-old Barnitz Stadium got a big financial boost Wednesday courtesy of a $500,000 grant from the Middletown Community Foundation.

The half million dollar check — the foundation’s single-largest award ever — was presented to Middletown City Schools Superintendent Greg Rasmussen during the organization’s KNOWledge Series luncheon at the Middletown Area Senior Center. It was the cherry on top of the afternoon that included a speaking appearance by Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis about the district’s Learning is Cool program.

The $500,000 will help support phase one of renovations — $1.2 million for bleacher renovation to accommodate more handicap access, installation of artificial turf and widening of the field, said George Long, business manager for Middletown.

Long said a timeline is still being determined and dependent on securing an additional $700,000 in private donations.

“We’re in the process of fundraising; all of it will be private donations,” Long said. “The district is appreciative of the foundation and its willingness to step up and move the project forward.”

The community foundation board approved the grant Tuesday, which will be paid at a rate of $50,000 each year for a decade, Gordon said.

Rasmussen said his hope is the renovated stadium will host more community and youth sports, band competitions and state tournaments. He said Barnitz will only enhance the revitalization efforts of downtown Middletown.

“What Barnitz has been and will continue to be is a gathering place for the community,” Rasmussen said.

Gordon said the economic development benefits of an upgraded stadium were “attractive” to the community foundation board, and the possibility of more people spending money at local gas stations, restaurants and hotels.

“Education is the primary focus of the foundation and we include the extra-curricular activities of students,” Gordon said.

Future phases of renovations at Barnitz will include: adding more parking lots, renovating locker rooms, adding a weight room under the bleachers, updating the stadium lighting to be energy efficient, press room renovations and exterior painting, according to Long.

The district hopes to raise enough private donations to support $2.5 million in renovations over the next decade, Long said.

The more than 60-year-old stadium seats about 7,000 people. The school board in April approved renaming of the field to the Cris Carter Community Field at Barnitz Stadium.

Gordon said the community foundation held a special meeting in April for the school district to present a $1 million grant request. He said the board took about three weeks to mull over the request — the largest the board has ever received — before agreeing on $500,000.

“We couldn’t afford to do the $1 million without negatively affecting our other grants,” Gordon said.

Prior to the half million dollar grant, Gordon said the foundation’s largest grant was $250,000 given to the Community Building Institute at Miami University Middletown.