PICTURED ABOVE IS AN ARTIST’S RENDERING OF THE COMPLETED GRIZZLY STADIUM PROJECT. RENDERING BY MARC FARIAS JONES The Mariposa County Board of Supervisors put some money where its mouth is in regard to the Grizzly Stadium plan. The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to fund phase one of the project.

About 50 supporters of the project converged on the board’s meeting. Grizzly Stadium committee Chairman Dan Tucker explained to the board and crowd that the project will be completed in three phases. The first phase is expected to cost $76,134 and includes fencing, new backstops and dugouts for the baseball and softball fields, a new scoreboard, a ticket house and sod.

The stadium will be built on the existing field that lies between Mariposa County High and Mariposa Elementary Schools. MCHS has already decided to play football on the field in the fall because the Southern Athletic League has changed its schedule, making play in the Gold Bowl impossible during the Mariposa County Fair.

Tucker said that phase two includes the installation of a new concession stand, concrete bleachers for seating and a press box. The third phase would put artificial turf on the fields.

“There is a lot of community interest,” Tucker said of the project. “The bulk of the labor will probably be done by the people sitting right here.” Those people, many of them local contractors, agreed.

“This project is very easy to do,” said Mark Farias- Jones, the project’s designer and a local builder. “We just need to make it happen.” He explained to the board that the costs were pretty insignificant compared to if the community was proposing a facility completely from scratch.

Jarrod Twiss, who co-owns Ranch Fence, said he and his colleagues will see the project through to fruition. “The project will get completed,” he said “There are a lot of folks here that make it happen everyday. The potential here is unlimited.”

Twiss added that while the facility might not be perfect, it will be adequate for years to come. “This may not be the most ideal site, but it’s what we have,” he said.

Mariposa County Contractors’ Association President Bill Verley echoed Twiss. “You have the support here,” he told the board. “Local business people will get this done.”

Long-time MCHS Athletic Director Loyd Hobby said the district has always been “the poorest of the poor” in terms of facilities. He said his coaches had chosen to take on that mission over the years, and now the community is taking on the mission of changing that. “These folks are taking that on,” he said of completing the project.

School board member Joe Cardoso said the district’s current facilities are inadequate. “For such a long time, we’ve neglected our need for facilities,” he said. “This is a huge opportunity for our community to support our youth. Our kids deserve better.”

Grizzly football coach Bob Kelley thanked the many supporters. “They’ve given up their time. Their time is their money. They know that it is a worthy project.” In regard to his players, some of whom were in the audience, Kelly added, “They have put up with what other kids wouldn’t even think of putting up with.”

Former MCHS Principal Celeste Azevedo confirmed that the school will play football on the field in the fall. She emphasized the importance of getting phase one completed to the school’s overall athletic program. “The football gate pays official fees for all sports,” she said. “If we do not have fencing, we will have a revenue issue.” The school district will maintain the field, as does now, and will use the money it formerly used to rent the fairgrounds to rent bleachers for the upcoming season.

The County and school district have an agreement in place that allows dual usage. There is about $47,000 in Proposition 40 funding available. The Mariposa County Parks and Recreation Department is currently waiting to get the state’s approval to spend the money on the stadium project. “I think it fits Prop 40 requirements,” Program Manager Shannon Hansen told the board.

Supervisor Jim Allen said the project was appropriate and could generate more Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).

District 2 Supervisor Lyle Turpin initially expressed concern about using the Prop 40 funds when there are other projects in the county that need to be completed.

District 3 Supervisor Janet Bibby said spending the money would be an investment that would bring a substantial return to the County. “It’s not just a park project,” she said. “This is actually a revenue-generating project. It would be an investment in generating revenue that could go to other park projects,” she said.

Yosemite-Mariposa Tourism Bureau Executive Director Jeff Hentz confirmed that sentiment. He called the project “tremendous” and said the County is poised to tap into the billion-dollar sports industry. “This will lay the foundation for us to begin a serious effort in sports marketing,” he said. He explained that the field’s usage “would be an sincere and realistic opportunity to help us during our off season.”

Bibby said, “This is a one time investment that would impact all ages. It’s a one time investment that would pay off hugely.”

District 1 Supervisor Brad Aborn added, “We’re going to have to make some sacrifices as a community to make this happen.”

The board approved funding the project for the first phase, contingent on Prop 40 approval and finding the remaining $29,000 from another source, like tobacco tax revenue.