A visitor to town driving up the winding hill leading to the Williamsport Area High School could surmise the school’s Millionaire nickname is derived from the palatial view presented by the newly refurbished stadium complex below. While using slang terms, it does ‘look like a million bucks,’ but the estimated $20-million price tag project will receive its formal dedication Friday evening when the football Millionaires host visiting Selinsgrove.

The project is the final phase of a long-term plan to modernize the 50-year-old stadium and surrounding athletic facilities. While portions of the facility had been updated over the years, the core stadium buildings and support spaces had reached an age where comprehensive renovations and modernization were necessary.

Lobar served as the project’s general contractor, with construction beginning last November at the conclusion of the football season. Funding was provided through the Williamsport Area School District’s Capital Improvement Funds.

The stadium’s ceremonial dedication will be part of the school’s 2026 Homecoming activities. The ceremony will provide an opportunity for the school district, student-athletes, coaches, alumni, community members, and other supporters to celebrate the competition of the project and recognize the many people who contributed to bringing the vision for the facility to reality.

“We are extremely excited about the improvements the project provides for our student-athletes, coaches, officials, school, and community,” explained WAHS athletic director Sean McCann. “The biggest difference is that the stadium now provides the support facilities necessary to create a true home-field experience.

“Previously, the football teams had to dress at the high school and walk to the stadium because there were no locker rooms at the field. The new field house has dedicated locker rooms, showers, and changing areas for both teams, with similar locker rooms for game officials.”

The new field house also includes a second floor that can be used for professional development sessions, school meetings, and can accommodate banquets and gatherings for approximately 150 people.

A new two-story press box was constructed. The upper level contains four separate rooms, including two enclosed spaces for coaches and two dedicated rooms for media and broadcasting operations, providing coaches and media members with dedicated, functional spaces while significantly improving the technology and overall game-day experience.

The fan experience will benefit from new upper-level public restrooms, modernized entrance areas, new concession stands and expanded seating areas that increase the stadium capacity to 7,000.

Getting a jump on Friday’s formal dedication ceremonies, the Cherry & White have already played two games in their new facility, which they have embraced with enthusiasm.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the project has been watching the students experience the new facilities for the first time,” McCann related. “It was especially exciting to see the players come into the new locker room before our first home game. They were genuinely excited about the space and about having a new home at the stadium.

“We also had the opportunity to tour the new locker rooms and field house with former Williamsport players from the 1986 and 2016 teams. Their reaction really put the improvements into perspective.

“For us, that reaction from both current and former players reinforced what the project is really about – providing our student-athletes with a facility they can be proud of and creating a lasting home for Williamsport athletics.

“What excites me most is the opportunity this facility gives us to do more for our students, our athletic programs, and our community.

“I am also extremely excited about the improvements to the tennis and pickleball facilities. The resurfaced tennis courts look outstanding, and we are hosting our first-ever night tennis match when the girls take on Jersey Shore under the new lights. Adding six pickleball courts also creates opportunities for our physical education programs and the community that did not previously exist.

“Ultimately, my favorite part is not one particular room or feature. It is what the entire project represents. We have created a facility that gives our student-athletes a place they can be proud of, provides our coaches and officials with the resources they need, gives our fans a better experience, and creates new opportunities for our school and community.

“It is an investment that will benefit Williamsport students and the entire community for many years to come.”