The Wilmington Greyhounds football team may have a new stadium to score touchdowns in after three decision made by the school board Monday night brought the district closer to a new $4.1 million recreation complex.

Those decisions will also make it a little easier to control how much school directors will spend on the project.

The board agreed to have Eckles Architecture of New Castle work on a stadium proposal that would have three add-on alternates.

One of the alternates is an artificial surface field, which would push the project cost up another $600,000.

Other alternates that the board could choose to put on hold are improvements to the soccer and baseball fields and the addition of three new practice fields.

"You can isolate those projects (from the stadium project) fairly cleanly," said Eckles spokesperson Joe Spagnuolo.

The stadium project by itself includes new concession stands, scoreboards and a press box, as well as improvements to the track.

The board awarded a $352,400 contract for new bleachers to Sturdisteel Co. of Texas. It includes a nonskid treatment for all the walkways. The company's proposal was about $100,000 less than what the board anticipated for bleachers.

"We did a fairly exhaustive rundown on the company and there's no reason for the board not to award this company," said Spagnuolo, adding that the preparation and installation of bleachers could take longer than the projected dates of the stadium project. It could start as early as April 10 and should be finished by Oct. 10.

Board members discussed arranging more away games at the beginning of the football season to accommodate the stadium schedule. Superintendent Dr. C. Joyce Nicksick said the first game is at home, but the next three are away.

Also on the agenda was authorizing Scott Bossung of Public Financial Management to prepare the documents needed for a bond sale, adding in the amount once stadium bids are opened.

Spagnuolo said he'd like to see bids opened by the end of February. The board will meet at 2:30 p.m. Friday in a work session to discuss more aspects of the stadium project.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Sherris Moreira-Byers at sbyers@sharonherald.com