HAMILTON, Ohio — Badin High School has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony on March 5 for the Lanni Family Stadium at Matandy SportsPlex, a new on-campus stadium.
The school has raised $12 million for the new stadium project in approximately the past 12 to 18 months, according to Angie Gray, Badin's director of marketing communications. The total goal is $15 million.
The groundbreaking ceremony will start at 5 p.m. March 5 behind the high school, rain or shine.
"We expect a big group on hand for this event," Gray said.
Construction on Lanni Family Stadium at Matandy SportsPlex starts soon and will take place in two phases as the school continues to raise money.
Phase I will include the two fields (play and practice full synthetic fields), track around the field, locker rooms, restrooms, concession stand, press box and home bleachers.
Phase II will include everything east of the track including visitor bleachers, visitor concession stand and restrooms, the east entrance to the upper parking lot, alumni room and maintenance building.
"The stadium at Badin will be a great addition to all the good things happening at Badin right now," Badin football coach Nick Yordy said. "Our enrollment is the highest it has been in 25 years. The excitement within the school, the athletic teams and community are at an all-time high. This project has been discussed for many years and now that it is actually happening is truly amazing."
The project includes a military memorial around the flag pole in front of the school, sponsored by an alumni family as well as a Grotto to Mary near the west entrance, financed by another graduate.
By moving the locker rooms to the new stadium, the school is creating more classroom space in the Pfirman Family Activity Center. The initial phase of the project — the parking lot to the west of the school — is complete and already in use by students, faculty and staff.
Renderings of the stadium project 1,822 seats on the home side of the stadium with 600 seats on the visitor side.
"Our goal is to have Phase I of the stadium complete for a home track meet next spring if possible," Gray said. "We do not yet have 2025 schedules, but will announce the dates as soon as we have them. We plan on a big celebration for the opening 2025 football home game, as well as boys and girls soccer games."
Badin athletic director Geoff Melzer said the first home football game in 2025 is scheduled to be against Edgewood in Week 3. The soccer schedules will be determined in the future.
"Having a place to call our home field is something that has never happened in the great history of Badin," Yordy said. "This is a great addition for all programs. In all sports, we have always had to get on a bus, or actually drive to a game whether it was home or away. To be able to play a true home game on campus is unbelievable and I am proud to be a part of it."
