By In 2024, Nelson Stadium will be undergoing exciting renovations.
After a unanimous decision from the board of trustees in May, Carroll will be installing synthetic turf and stadium lights on its beloved field.
“Right now we really only host about 18 events in the stadium a year between football, soccer, and a couple of graduations,” said Carroll College Director of Athletics Charlie Gross. “This is going to open the door for a lot of things.”
Due to Montana’s weather conditions, the capacity to host certain events has been limited.
The natural grass on the field demanded constant maintenance and time. The stadium’s renovations and upgrades to turf and overhead stadium lights will allow frequent use and lower maintenance costs.
Along with the new state-of-the-art turf, overhead stadium lights will be installed. The new lighting system gives opportunities for the entire student athlete body to use the facility at any time and provide a more flexible scheduling of games and practices.
“The lights will also give us the opportunity to play in the morning and provide football, both soccer teams, and other sports a place to train at all hours and all weather conditions,” said Stephanie Smith, a Junior Nursing student out of Castro Valley California on the Carroll College Women’s Soccer
Team.
Not only will the Carroll community be able to utilize Nelson Stadium, but it will also be a spot for hosting other activities as well.
These events could include state tournaments, concerts, and much more. The renovations will draw people from campus and the community to join together to support Carroll Athletics and events happening at the stadium.
Although there is no specific date set for the start of renovations, the spring of 2024 is currently marked as the start time for the project as soon as the Montana weather allows it.
The project has an estimated cost of $4.04 million for construction. The project began with a $5 million fundraiser goal for the facility renovations and around $710,000 has already been raised.
“The fundraising is being led by John Michelloti and Tom Downey, and then there’s a tiered level of people under them that are out, soliciting sponsorships,” said Mark Johnston, the head of Business and Partner Development at Carroll. “The big thing they are working on right now is who would be the top sponsor that would have the naming rights to the stadium.”
The renovation of Carroll College’s Nelson Stadium is making a significant step toward modernizing a sports and events facility for the town of Helena.
Along with this project brings improved athletic performance, a boost in Helena’s economic stability, and increasing engagement from Helena’s Community.
“We’re confident that the facility will be considered an asset to the community of Helena, because of our ability to open up the doors and host a variety of things,” said Gross.
