A new stadium is in the works in Martin’s back- yard, raising lots of dust and lots of questions, in- cluding: Do we have it in the budget? And when will it be finished? “We have had several promised dates but initially it was supposed to be open in Fall of 2022,” Principal Marlene Roddy said. District dignitaries broke ground and started construction on Glaspie Stadium Oct. 18. The project is expected to be complete in January 2025. The $34 million stadium, which Martin will share with Seguin High School, will include 10,000 seats, a larger press box, locker rooms, restrooms and concessions. The original bond to fund the construction of the stadium passed in 2019 but the city kept pushing back the date asking for more details on specific aspects of the stadium. Then, the dilemma be- came the residential homes behind the high school. Residents felt that the lights were going to be too disturbing and invasive but redirecting the lights eliminated the issue. During the construction, athletes will have to figure out how to practice without a field. Football, band, soc- cer, track, rugby, and even the west lot will be affected. “While the new stadium is being built we will have to adjust,” Varsity football Head Coach Chad Rives said. “Many of our games will be played at different venues. We might have to move practices to junior high facilities as well.” With the new stadium, it will be easier for students to attend games. “We can go straight from school to sports,” junior football player Lamar Gordon said. “Some kids can’t participate because the games are too far.” Will this new stadium be better than Choctaw? Mar- tin has played home games at Choctaw Stadium since fall 2019. “Legacies have been built at Choctaw,” junior Alex Mathesian said. Junior football player Jaden Smith said he dis- agrees. “Martin is closer to Martin’s students, so the stu- dent section will be fuller,” Smith said. Some Martin students are worried that this new sta- dium will cut into the bud- get for other organizations. Roddy, however, pointed out the funds come from a different source. “A bond has very specific things that go into it,” she said. “People go to vote on a bond election and vote for things they want to put money into.” In 2019, Arlington voters approved $45.8 million in raised taxes to go towards a stadium. So this money was already dedicated to the stadium and isn’t cut- ting into any other funds for the school. “I’m really excited to see how the stadium turns out,” Smith said.