Stadium upgrades the highlight of Chatham’s sales tax list | savannahnow.com

One of the more intriguing items on Chatham County’s project list for the proposed special purpose local option sales tax on Tuesday’s ballot are improvements to Memorial Stadium, a high school football facility.

At $12 million it’s one of the most costly projects on the county’s list. Built in 1957, the county-owned and -operated stadium in Savannah’s Bacon Park is sometimes used for special events. But its reinforced concrete is showing signs of surface deterioration, according to the county.

Officials are considering replacing the facility, which seats 12,000 to 15,000 people, and have begun the bidding process for a concept plan.

Of the $370 million the county projects the extension of SPLOST would generate over six years, $137.5 million would be set aside for county projects. Voters will decide whether to approve the extension of the 1 percent sales tax on Tuesday.

The largest amount of money, $35 million, would be devoted to capital improvement projects typical of those SPLOST has traditionally funded, such as roadwork, bridge repair, streetscaping, stormwater and drainage improvements.

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