Bellevue school board approves $8.4 million project to upgrade high school athletic facilities

By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Board members for Bellevue Independent Schools approved an $8.4 million project to upgrade Leo Gilligan Field and Ben Flora Gymnasium at their monthly meeting on Wednesday night.

The school district will solicit bonds to finance the project. The grass field will have synthetic turf installed by Motz Group of Ohio. The rest of the work on the two facilities will be done by Perkins Carmack Construction of Ohio.

Plans for the 88-year-old stadium include  installing a rubberized track, upgrading the tennis courts and building a new concession stand with restrooms.

The 52-year-old gym will have its locker rooms, lobby and public restrooms renovated.

“It’s way overdue,” Bellevue superintendent Misty Middleton said of the project scheduled to be completed in August of 2025.

“Ever since I’ve been here, one of the things I’ve heard consistently is why can’t we have nicer facilities,” Middleton said. “I commend our board for taking the necessary steps to be able to raise the money so we’d be able to bond for this.”

Bellevue football teams have been playing home games at Bellevue Civic Stadium, which includes Leo Gilligan Field, since 1936. The first boys basketball game played at Ben Flora Gymnasium was in January of 1972.

The adjacent athletic facilities are located several blocks from the high school building, near I-471 that goes into downtown Cincinnati.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Bellevue athletic director Jim Hicks. “I mean the track has been in bad shape for a long time and we’re the last grass field in Northern Kentucky. The view on Friday nights looking up into the Cincinnati skyline from a brand new stadium, it’s going to great. We’re excited about it.”

The only local football teams playing home games on natural grass this season are Bellevue and Dayton, two long-time river city rivals. In the spring, Dayton began construction on a new synthetic turf field and field house that’s also expected to be completed before the start of the 2025 football season.

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