Field turf installed this week at Peabody Stadium

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. —  It’s been over two years since the reconstruction of Peabody Stadium began at Santa Barbara High. 

Although the construction project is still not finished, significant progress was made as the field turf was laid down this week. 

After months of slow progression, the venue is finally beginning to resemble a football stadium. 

“It’s nice to see green instead of the large pit that was there,” Santa Barbara High alum Gloria Cavallero said. “It’s coming along and I’m really excited to see the progress.”

The $39 million renovation promises to bring the 100-year-old facility into the modern age. 

The stadium includes a 2,300 seat concrete grandstand, press box, and new track. 

Based on how the venue looks, all signs indicate that the project seems to be headed towards completion. 

“It’s obviously a significant milestone,” Santa Barbara Unified School District Director of Facilities Steve Vizzolini said. “We’ve been waiting quite a while for this to happen.”

In total, it’s been two years and six months from when this renovation broke ground. With students, faculty, and alum anxiously awaiting its completion, the clock is beginning to tick on the project.

“The biggest delay was the Thomas Fire and Debris Flow,” Vizzolini added. “We lost 63 construction days due to that alone.”

Last season, Santa Barbara High’s football team claimed the Channel League title and CIF-SS Division 8 Championship Game despite playing all of their games away from home.  

This year, the Dons hope to replicate that success in front of a home crowd at their new stadium. 

This June, Santa Barbara High’s class of 2020 is scheduled to graduate at Peabody Stadium. 

“I’m involved with graduation and I’m always honored to read names at graduation,” Cavallero concluded. “I can’t wait to see them walk down the hill onto the new Peabody Stadium.”

The Santa Barbara Unified School District has yet to finalize a completion date for the project.