The Hamilton County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved County Mayor Weston Wamp’s proposal to fund the installation of lights at the Howard baseball and softball complexes.
This is part of an ongoing commitment Hamilton County made to invest $10 million at Howard as the South Broad District is revitalized, he said.
“As we renegotiated the South Broad stadium deal, we insisted The Howard School would benefit on day one,” said County Mayor Wamp. “It’s only right that Howard student-athletes will play their first home games under the lights in advance of professional athletes playing games just blocks away in a new stadium. It’s an honor for us to partner with Coach Jon Johnson, who has been a tireless advocate for his players and the entire Howard community. ”
As part of the South Broad stadium deal, County Mayor Wamp said he "prioritized The Howard School by insisting on $10 million in upfront investments at the historic downtown school. In April, the first $1 million was allocated to enhancing career and technical education at the school with equipment upgrades and a modern ventilation system in welding classrooms. With the recent addition of synthetic turf at Reggie White Field, the lights at the softball and baseball fields are next in line in a series of investments into athletic facilities.
Coach Johnson said, “I’ve seen the disappointment on my players’ faces dozens of times as umpires have called our games early because it was too dark outside to continue. I am grateful to Mayor Wamp for prioritizing the needs of public school students during a historic investment into Chattanooga’s Southside.”
“This is wonderful news for the student athletes and coaching staff at Howard and something I’ve long been a strong advocate for,” said Commissioner Joe Graham, whose district includes Howard. “These students deserve every opportunity to thrive in their sport, and I’m grateful to Mayor Wamp for prioritizing the needs of this community.”
The new lights will be installed before the spring baseball and softball seasons begin.