KNOXVILLE, Iowa — The Knoxville School Board approved a transfer of the title of the abandoned Ken Locke Stadium to the Knoxville Alumni Association earlier this week.
The alumni association bought the property for $5,000.
Opened over 85 years ago, Ken Locke Stadium has been the home to community events and Knoxville High sporting events that residents and surrounding communities have come to adore over its medieval-styled structure.
Donors will now have a clearer understanding of where their money is going, and the intent for that money.
"It shows that we're in it to win it," Save Our Stadium committee member Kevin Stittsworth said. "I mean we've been at this. We worked with the school over the years, and now it shows that as owners, the destiny is in our hands."
The project to renovate Ken Locke Stadium will cost about $7.5 million and includes: a new community center, pickleball courts, a concession stand and bathrooms, a more accessible entrance and a new field at the center – that can turn into an ice-skating rink in the winter.
Stittsworth added: "We're ready to take it to the next level. We're ready to take it to more memories for the next generations to come."
Over the summer, the "Save Our Stadium" crew hosted multiple fundraising events and clean-up days to prep Ken Locke Stadium for its future renovations.
"We understand that we have taken on a tremendous responsibility and we don't take it lightly," Save Our Stadium Co-Chair Pennie Sommar told Local 5 News on Wednesday.
As for the Save Our Stadium committee's next steps, now that it has the official title to the stadium, it plans to hire an architect to rebuild the wall on the north end, and hire someone to do snow removal ahead of the winter season.
