Well, that's the problem with SPS. They claim they want or try to make everything the same (yearbooks & newspapers have the same number of pages, etc.), because the northsiders always yell and scream about the "southside" getting everything, which isn't the truth, but it's like talking to a wall with some of those people. Kickapoo's stadium looks a bit more impressive compared to Hillcrest & Glendale, yet I doubt SPS would allow a booster to attempt to make Glendale's more fancy. Ten years ago, they tried to build a HYPER facility right next to the football field at Glendale (I was shocked SPS allowed it to happen), but they couldn't raise the money for the HYPER indoor building and locker room building (it was about $1 million total for both, they only raised enough to start building the locker room facility, but never raised enough to finish paying that off in the end, but the building was finished. One GHS booster was left with a $300,000 bill - not sure he ever paid that off!!). People in Springfield are usually rich because they're CHEAP! Very few want to support the public schools. Anyway, hosting the top football games at Parkview ended, for the most part, about ten years ago. Yes, the new(ish) main bleacher seating at Hillcrest and Glendale are exactly the same, but at least they've got metal bleachers instead of those nasty old wooden ones from the 1960's and new press boxes. Hillcrest has visitor seating on the opposite side. Glendale doesn't have fixed visitor seating, because that's where the HYPER facility will go, if it EVER gets built. They bring in portable seating (same bleachers used for baseball) for the visiting team at the moment. The new scoreboards at all the schools installed in 2012 improved the looks of all five facilities along with the turf fields. They could all be better, but the money just isn't there. As far as community support, it's tough. Outside of SPS allowing Glendale at attempt the HYPER facility ten years ago, I bet they'd tell a booster and/or business they'd have to give money to all five high schools. Most aren't willing to do that. 2,200 capacity is PLENTY for 90% of the football games held at one of the high schools in Springfield. Now, they had like 7,000 for the Glendale-Kickapoo game on Thursday, but should you spend millions on all five schools for one game every season or every other season? I don't think it makes a lot sense given that SPS is going through a major master facilities plan at the moment and will ask voters for $300 million over the next ten years. Our outdoor facilities are good enough, but the gyms at the high schools are twenty to thirty years behind the times. That's what we need to focus on at the present time. The football stadiums can wait. I think those turf fields will need replacing in about five years, so that'll cost some money. I think they have about a ten-year life span. The one at Glendale already looks pretty rough.
Compared to when I went there ('95-'99), Lowe Stadium looks GREAT to my eyes.
