Several Ram athletic venues will get makeovers over the next several months. Baseball, football, softball and track are all scheduled for some form of upgrades.

One of the first projects to start will be a new video scoreboard, replacing the FieldTurf surface and installing new LED lighting at Owasso Stadium.

The scoreboard will be located directly above and behind the newly-installed south end zone seating and includes a 25 ft. x 44 ft. full HD videoboard, along with an updated speaker and sound system.

Among the video scoreboard features include the capability to show movies and commercials. Fans in the stands will be able to view pregame and halftime presentations as well as on-the-field interviews on the screen.

“Our community will feel proud,” said Owasso Athletic Director Zach Duffield. “It will enhance our Friday night atmosphere.”

The new video scoreboard will be in use during games. Along with the typical functions of a scoreboard, such as time clock, score, down and distance, the board will also show in-game action.

“I think the sky is the limit of what you can do with it,” Duffield said.

Speakers will be located within the video scoreboard, which is expected to improve the sound quality throughout the stadium.

The new scoreboard will loom above the addition to the south end bleachers, which will extend all the way west to the southwest corner of the field.

Also the decorative brick posts, which already partially exists, will extend to surround the entire field.

Owasso coach Bill Blankenship said he’s anxious to see the finished product.

“I’m excited to see it,” Blankenship said of the video scoreboard. “It kind of blows my kind, if it’s anything like what the drawing show.”

Duffield said one of the eventual goals is to have OHS students handle the video production for Friday night football games.

The Owasso AD said the idea for the new video scoreboard was partially shaped after visiting various Texas high schools and universities.

"It's really our own project, but we took things from other places we saw," Duffield said.  

The Stacy Group in Owasso has handled the architecture and design of the video scoreboard. The new project is estimated to cost $854,000.

Replacing both the stadium’s lighting and FieldTurf surface are both scheduled to take place soon as well.

This will be the stadium’s third FieldTurf surface installment since the field was transplanted from its original grass surface to artificial turf in 2001.

The Owasso Stadium projects are scheduled to be completed prior to Aug. 24, the Rams’ football home opener against Bentonville West, Ark.

Daniels Construction will handle the resurfacing project to the stadium, which is part of a $4.56 million project that includes resurfacing Stigall Field and the infield of the high school track.

 

Source: tulsaworld.com

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