As published in Development News - April 1, 2018

Exterior rendering of the renovated west entry to Maumee High School’s Kazmaier Stadium

Maumee Schools to invest $2.6M in stadium

Maumee City Schools and the Panther Pride Foundation (PPF) are planning to invest $2.6 million in its Kazmaier Stadium Renewal Project. The project involves an overhaul of Richard Kazmaier stadium, which was built in 1961. Construction is slated to begin in April and is expected to be complete this fall.

Thomas Porter Architects, based in Toledo, is the architect for the project, with Buehrer Group Architecture & Engineering, based in Maumee and using selected alumni to provide some mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services. The Spieker Company, based in Perrysburg, is the general contractor for the project.

Sarah Otis, director of development and alumni relations for PPF, said, “We have this stadium that was built in 1961 and it basically hasn’t had a whole lot of upgrades, except for some ADA accessibility and some outbuildings and so forth. Then, back in 2014, there were some alumni that felt very strongly about wanting to contribute back to the school system, but they didn’t want to just do that in one single way. They wanted to create what we call now the Panther Pride Foundation. The Panther Pride Foundation was established in 2015 and it creates a revenue source for these kinds of projects where the school district and the Foundation partner on identified projects, and the priority project is the Kazmaier Stadium.”

According to Otis, $2 million of the investment was raised by PPF, with $600,000 coming from Maumee’s Permanent Improvement Funds (PIF).

Initial plans for the stadium renovations include:

Phase One

Field

Installation of a new turf field

West Entry

Create paving and sidewalks
Renovate the ticket booths
Renovations to the Panther Den
Renovations to the concession stand
Construct a new two-story building with a connecting roof

Home Stands

Renovation to the home locker room
Renovation to the home team room
Renovations to the existing public bathroom
Add a new ADA public bathroom
Create storage and custodial space

Phase Two

South Entry

Create a driveway and 10 parking spaces
Create a ticket booth with an arched entry

Away Stands

Construct a new visitor locker room
Construct a new visitor team room
Construct new public restrooms
Construct a new official’s locker room
Construct a new concession stand

Interior rendering of the renovated west entry to Maumee High School’s Kazmaier Stadium

Interior rendering of the renovated west entry to Maumee High School’s Kazmaier Stadium

According to Otis, as a venue for local and regional events, the stadium welcomes more than 10,000 people attending upwards of 150 athletic and music programs annually. This includes Maumee High School events, as well as Gateway Middle School games, Maumee Youth football games, Catholic Youth Organization track and field events, and the list is still growing.

“The stadium is an ‘open door’ to the Maumee community that welcomes people of all ages and provides students with opportunities to build character and learn lessons that last a lifetime,” said Otis.

Maumee and PPF expect the renovations to create a range of results, including:

Maumee fans and visitors will have easier access to modern facilities and conveniences within the stadium
A renovated stadium will be a gathering point for all Maumee residents to rally around as it will be a focal point and new face of the community
There will be an uptick in visitors and fans from outside Maumee
Lower annual maintenance costs
Immediate positive impact on Maumee during events held at the stadium
Retention of students and Maumee City Schools due to high-caliber facilities and experiences
There will be an opportunity to host events like Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) tournaments, band competitions, and other regional events
Community youth will have access to a better stadium in which to play, exercise, and grow

The renovated and upgraded facility will demonstrate Maumee’s commitment to children in all areas of their personal and educational development

PPF began to raise the capital for this campaign through donors, businesses, and community members with the affinity and capacity to support a project of this sort. The project is currently in the community phase where members of the community can donate or participate in the Brick Paver program, where members can inscribe six lines with 12 character spaces to be installed in the west entryway.

Members of the community can donate or participate in the Brick Paver program by going to www.pantherpridefoundation.org.

“Typical projects like this take three or four years to raise, so we are on a very quick, very fast turnaround. I think we as a community can look at this project as a community enhancement. I think it just adds to the Performance Arts Center built in 2005, adds to the athletic programs here, and really adds to the quality environment here at Maumee,” concluded Otis.