Stadium remains under construction; students, boosters disappointed

No Friday night lights at Franklin High School.

Students and high school boosters are disappointed the school’s new football stadium won’t be ready in time for this week’s homecoming festivities.

The construction crews continued their work on the east grandstand lining the Franklin football field Wednesday.

“I was actually hoping to see it, but it’s not going to happen,” said Michael Barraza, a sophomore at the school.

“I heard that it was going to be ready for the next time we played at home,” added sophomore Bronte Procell.

“We’re were hoping this week,” said head football coach Daren Walker. “That’s what we were told originally.”

Trent Hatch, the vice president of the Franklin boosters program, told ABC-7 there were verbal agreements that the stadium would be complete in time for Thursday’s homecoming festivities.

“The whole idea was to have our games here this coming week,” Hatch said.

With an incomplete press box and only two-thirds of the seats installed on one set of bleachers — it’s clear that the stadium won’t be ready this week.

An El Paso Independent School District spokeswoman sent ABC-7 a statement reading, “The Franklin grandstands are on schedule and the contractor has until early November to complete the job.”

While construction is on time, the boosters said there were expectations it would be finished sooner.

“Do we want to point fingers? No,” said Hatch. “We want to work together as a community and a school district.

“Our first intention was to have it here for Homecoming (Week),” he added. “It’s anticlimactic to open it when it’s not your homecoming. But after 20 years, if we have to wait a few more weeks, I think we’re willing to do that to make sure it’s done right.”

Hatch said they’re now aiming to host their first home game on October 17th.