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Athletes, students and community enjoy new athletic complex
Fall sports are in full swing and the $4.9 million Cloquet High School athletic complex is complete.
Cloquet activities director Paul Riess savors a quiet moment at the new facility.
Fall sports are in full swing and the $4.9 million Cloquet High School athletic complex is complete.
Inside Members Cooperative Credit Union Stadium, the grass football and soccer field was replaced with turf, and the field is wider, making it more suitable for soccer. A brand-new eight-lane track is also wider, and facilities for field sports are also new, including shot put and discus pits. A new electronic scoreboard not only keeps score, it also plays video and music. The bleachers are also new, as is the press box. There's even new level asphalt covering the common area near the concession stand.
Across the entry road, tennis courts moved and doubled in number, from four to eight.
Cloquet activities director Paul Riess said having the new facility is "incredible."
Cloquet activities director Paul Riess savors a quiet moment at the new facility.
"Regardless of weather, teams are going to have a quality field to play on each night," Riess said. "Also being able to utilize the field for practice is a bonus. We no longer have to worry about what the rain does to the field. Having eight tennis courts is great too. It means all of our kids can practice at the same time and, on match nights, each match can take place at the same time."
On Wednesday morning, Riess walked the new turf field, making sure everything was in order in advance of next Friday's grand opening, including the signs naming the stadium. As the exclusive sponsor for the next 20 years, Members Cooperative Credit Union committed $1.25 million (roughly the cost of the new turf field) and up to $300,000 for the new scoreboard. Other funding included $2 million in bonds and over $1 million in federal pandemic funds.
The gates will open at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 with games and prizes courtesy of MCCU continuing during the game. There will be a ribbon cutting at 6:15 p.m. with MCCU and Cloquet school district officials participating. Kickoff is 7 p.m. for the varsity football game versus Duluth East.
