The site for the Southside Stadium has been excavated, and work is beginning on pouring foundations for the future home of the Chattanooga Lookouts, members of the Sports Authority were told Thursday.
Bill Payne, city engineer, said 78,000 cubic yards of soil have been moved and there is a crushing operation on site to grind up displaced concrete and repurpose it as structural fill.
Mr. Payne said there still is a tight timeline to get the stadium ready for opening date in April 2026.
He said $6,325,195 has been spent thus far on the project that is budgeted at $125 million.
The bonds have been sold and given a AAA rating, the board was told.
Also, bonds were issued for an area adjacent to the ballpark acquired by Jim Irwin, master developer of the site. It includes an old foundry building that will be repurposed.
Most of the buildings that stood when Wheland Foundry and U.S. Pipe were in operation will be retained.