Dell Rapids Rickeman Field will now be getting a new grandstand. The Dell Rapids City Council approved moving forward with the project during their regular meeting on Monday, August 3rd.
The project was tabled during the council’s last meeting on Monday, July 20th, to gather more information on the cost of concrete as well as to gather more information on a different plan idea.
City Administrator Justin Weiland said, “We have firmed up those numbers (the concrete). I estimated at around $9,000, and narrowed that down to $5,000 at $5.00 a square which is still estimating a little high.”
With the new estimated costs of concrete, the project went from $76,000 to $72,000. That is still $2,000 over the estimated budget of $70,000 for the project.
Weiland presented the council with three options. One option was to go forward with the project of the new grandstand with press box installed, electrical work, and concrete work for the $72,000. The second option was to replace the grandstand with just bleaches and put a freestanding press box behind with the option of putting a comfort station underneath at a later time. The third option was to build a freestanding press box where the current grandstand is located with the option of putting a comfort station underneath and using the St Mary bleachers for seating.
“Personally what I think is option A, just going ahead and doing it. We’ve got it to $72,000. We’re within $2,000 of budget. That’s the closet project that we’ve had budgeted this year, “ said Councilman Mark Crisp. Crisp then made the motion to approve option one, which was seconded by Councilman David Sommerfeld.
The motion passed unanimously to move forward with the project to replace the grandstand with a new grandstand that has a press box mounted at the top, electrical work, and new concrete pad under the grandstand.