PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2022

S P O T L I G H T

PEORIA STADIUM 2.0 Venerable athletic facility to get $11 million reinvention

BY NICK VLAHOS PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

A decade ago, a big-box depart ment store was planned to replace Peoria Stadium. Now, Peoria Public Schools has big plans for a property the district’s top official considers irreplaceable. An artificial-turf football field is to replace the grass surface at the venerable stadium near War Memorial Drive and Knoxville Avenue. That would enable Manual and Peoria high schools to continue to play their football home games at the stadium, which in its current form dates from the 1930s. New bleachers on the visitors’ side of the football field, across from the covered grandstand, are to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Electrical, lighting and plumbing im provements also are scheduled. A digital scoreboard already has been installed.

38 AUGUST 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE