Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field

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Officials in the fast-growing Sun Prairie School District had known for nearly a decade that it wouldn’t be long before they would need a new high school.

Now the city will be home to two high schools – Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West, which is to open in fall 2022. But district officials decided that the two schools should share Ashley Field, off Main Street in downtown Sun Prairie.

After Sun Priarie residents gave their support to plans for a new high school, officials set to work planning an overhaul of the stadium as well. The new venue accommodates various sports and organizations, including football, soccer, lacrosse and the Sound of Sun Prairie, the district’s high school marching band.

The 4,000-seat stadium’s proximity to downtown Sun Prairie also provided district officials with an opportunity to think about how the venue could fit into long-range planning then being conducted for the city’s downtown.

Construction crews began the project by reorienting the field from its previous east-west configuration to a north-south layout. That allowed the district to achieve various related goals, including improving ADA accessibility and adding parking and locker rooms.

The stadium also features a mid-level plaza that provides another vantage point for the field and allows guests an additional means of entering and exiting the stadium. The project also built separate entrances for students – helping to ease congestion – new restrooms, two concession stands and a state-of-the art scoreboard, sound system and lighting.