PROPOSAL DETAILS
I. Program Approach
- Carroll College is enhancing its Nelson Stadium athletic field with a lit, synthetic surface to create an updated facility for hosting athletic, community, and state-wide events. This project will enhance the quality of life for Helena residents and provide a positive economic development impact for local businesses because of the many additional visitors traveling to the area.
- Helena lacks a venue for large outdoor concerts, local and state-wide events, and athletic events. While athletic facilities in Bozeman and Missoula regularly bring people to those cities for athletic practices, athletic competitions, athletic playoff games, and major concerts and civic events, Helena is unable to provide the same opportunities for its citizens.
- Nelson Stadium seats 5,180 (4,900 outdoor and 280 indoor) and over 8,000 including the hillside—with appropriate parking, concessions, and accessible restrooms. Vigilante Stadium has lights, yet its seating capacity is 1,800 and the field is not conducive for soccer games. The Fairground grandstands seat 4,500 for concerts and rodeo events, but it does not have an athletic field. East Helena High School does have a lit, synthetic turf field, but its seating is significantly less than Nelson Stadium.
- Along with this grant, Carroll is seeking funding from private donors, foundations, and corporations to complete this project. Once complete, the opportunity to collaborate with other agencies to host events is relatively unlimited.
- Carroll anticipates using the funding from the Community Aid Grant for purposes of funding the lighting component of this project.
- This project will directly benefit the participants and attendees of the hosted events as well as the Helena-area hospitality industry. Additionally, seating capacity for cross-town high school football and soccer games will almost triple.
- Venues like Nelson Stadium have high cost barriers to entry. Duplication of benefits is unlikely since no other single venue exists in Helena which can serve the variety and quantity of events as will Nelson Stadium upon completing this Phase One of the project.
- Nelson Stadium holds approximately 18 events annually. Upon completion of this Phase One, Carroll anticipates hosting approximately 75 events annually drawing approximately 75,000-90,000 people or possibly greater.
II. Project Outcomes
- Carroll’s Board of Trustees has approved this project as an institutional priority, and over $710,000 has been raised towards the estimated construction costs of $4,040,485. The College has also engaged Dick Anderson Construction. Carroll’s experienced advancement staff is preparing campaign strategies to accomplish the funding goal well within the grant requirements.
- One measurable outcome is that 75 annual events will provide high-quality entertainment for the Helena-community—enhancing quality of life for the City’s residents, event attendees, and participants.
- Nelson Stadium annually hosts approximately 18 athletic and community events. Upon Phase One completion, Carroll anticipates hosting 75 events annually with many of those events each bringing 4,000-7,000 people resulting in approximately 75,000-90,000 people or possibly greater.
- Thus, the second measurable outcome is the economic impact to Helena-area businesses. If 10% of attendees stay at a hotel, eat, and fill up with gas for a total daily expense of $300, the annual economic impact may be $2,250,000-$2,700,000.
III. Audit and Fiscal Controls
- The College has well-established policies that are continually communicated, enforced and monitored to prevent, mitigate and detect the potential for fraud, waste, mismanagement, or misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. The policies apply to the College’s financial, technical, physical, and human resources. Additionally, an independent audit firm conducts an annual external audit according to Government Auditing Standards.
- Under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, each grant is accounted for with a separate fund within the general ledger accounting system. The College is very familiar with various grant reporting deadlines and will be able to timely report in accordance with grant due dates.
IV. Contingency
- This grant application makes up a significant amount of the lighting portion of this project.
- Carroll is committed to this project. The impact in the case of reduced funding would mean a delay in providing quality of life and economic benefits to the people of Helena.
V. Budget
- Project revenues associated with this phase of the enhancement project are estimated to be $4,040,485 which match estimated construction expenses. Ongoing Nelson Field maintenance expenses will be managed through the College’s operational budget.
- Funds provided by this grant would be allocated to a portion of the lighting expense for Phase One of this project, since that component will have the most specific impact on the Helena community.
SCOPE OF WORK
This Phase One of the Nelson Stadium Enhancement Project at Carroll College includes three main components. The ARPA funding request from the City of Helena is for the third component of Phase One.
The first component involves the installation of a retaining wall and curb around the field for turf attachment. The retaining wall is necessary to retain the hillside especially on the east side of the field.
The second component of this phase of the project involves the replacement of the grass field with synthetic turf. The field will be excavated and a proper drain system installed. The Legion Turf 2.0 has been selected due to the realistic aesthetics, performance characteristics, infill flyout control, and the high degree of durability and sustainability.
The third component of this project is lighting. This portion of the project includes excavating and trenching electricity to support the lighting. Light pole foundations will be installed to support the seven light poles.
Musco lighting NCAA Regional Broadcast lights will be installed on each side of the field with four light poles on the stadium side and three on the south side. Each of the seven light poles will support a bank of lights at a horizontal and vertical light level of 75 foot candles. These lights, their placement and height have been specified to meet NCAA regional broadcast standards.
The lights will be installed at optimum placement to ensure the lighting meets NCAA best practices for the quality of light needed to meet safety standards for athletes, enjoyment of spectators and for quality regional broadcasting.
Once completed, this Phase One of the Nelson Stadium Enhancement Project will provide a venue to accommodate 5,180 people seated (4,900 outdoor and 280 indoor) and over 8,000 when including hillside seating that can be used more frequently day and night benefiting the greater Helena community recreationally and economically.