Graham Stadium

[Gridiron60]

A lot of back room shenanigans going concerning the stadium, yes, board of supervisors should be ashamed especially a couple of them in particular. Everything done in the dark eventually comes to light, some Graham folks will be disappointed in a certain person when all is known. 

[EH31]

5 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

A lot of back room shenanigans going concerning the stadium, yes, board of supervisors should be ashamed especially a couple of them in particular. Everything done in the dark eventually comes to light, some Graham folks will be disappointed in a certain person when all is known. 

What exactly is going on? Did they promise money and then take it back?
Maybe I’m not fully up to date on what the BOS is doing.  

[FRIDAYNITELIGHTS]

y

[jeffro]

Man this thread got quiet!

[cityofRaven]

2 hours ago, jeffro said:

Man this thread got quiet!

As quiet as Double Gates will be on Friday nights for the foreseeable future.

[Mountain Football]

Not too long ago I can recall many people(west of Bluefield) complaining about the cost of Mitchell Stadium. Stating that Graham needed their own field etc. At that time the Graham folks seem to love playing at Mitchell and the history of it all. Today it seems the roles have reversed to some extent. The Graham folks want their own field and those outside of Bluefield lean towards playing at Mitchell. What happened?😂

[stu_bean]

22 hours ago, Mountain Football said:

Not too long ago I can recall many people(west of Bluefield) complaining about the cost of Mitchell Stadium. Stating that Graham needed their own field etc. At that time the Graham folks seem to love playing at Mitchell and the history of it all. Today it seems the roles have reversed to some extent. The Graham folks want their own field and those outside of Bluefield lean towards playing at Mitchell. What happened?😂

Can honestly say I still think Graham needs their own stadium and quit paying another county much less another state all those funds.

[Real Sasquatch]

On 5/21/2025 at 9:44 PM, cityofRaven said:

As quiet as Double Gates will be on Friday nights for the foreseeable future.

That's o.k., they own Ernie Hicks, anyway.

[jeffro]

10 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

That's o.k., they own Ernie Hicks, anyway.

Ouch!!!

[Fairlawncat]

On 5/23/2025 at 6:40 AM, stu_bean said:

Can honestly say I still think Graham needs their own stadium and quit paying another county much less another state all those funds.

No dog in fight, but financially, seems like TCSB should have got Bluefield High, Bluefield State and Bluefield Univ/College together on a 4 way deal with Graham to build stadium on VA side close to WV border, but off of Graham campus and built a stadium there, erasing Bluefield WV from equation. BSU, B.College, and Bluefield High might have bought in with stadium being close to border. Don't know enough about land there. For Graham, double edge sword. Wouldn't have been an on campus stadium, but would have got done quicker if the other 3 joined up.

[CPF]

https://www.wvva.com/2025/06/10/tazewell-co-school-board-votes-against-mitchell-stadium-contract/

[stu_bean]

2 hours ago, CPF said:

https://www.wvva.com/2025/06/10/tazewell-co-school-board-votes-against-mitchell-stadium-contract/

Smartest thing I've seen them do in a while.

Looks like Dog territory may have some home squatters this season.  I would have to go back and look at schedules but I wonder if they do play at Tazewell, how same home nights may play out?

[CPF]

Vhigh, Marion, and Lebanon at Graham on Saturday afternoon. Union game at Tazewell. And Tazewell game at Richlands is my understanding. Things could change though. And yes they're going to play at Graham with lawn chairs. And I think it's great. Congratulations city of Bluefield.......you played yourself.

[stu_bean]

1 minute ago, CPF said:

Vhigh, Marion, and Lebanon at Graham on Saturday afternoon. Union game at Tazewell. And Tazewell game at Richlands is my understanding. Things could change though. And yes they're going to play at Graham with lawn chairs. And I think it's great. Congratulations city of Bluefield.......you played yourself.

That's a bit crazy if holds true but like I said glad to see it happen.

I know way to early but I wonder how they will handle playoff games?

[CPF]

Can't play in Bluefield due to VHSL playoff standards so it will be Tazewell or Richlands until a stadium is finished.

[Gridiron60]

Well, that sucks for Graham kids.  City of Bluefield could have offered the traditional two year contract that’s always been offered but chose greed over kids. I back the decision by TCPS but it’s the Graham kids that are getting $hit on because adults chose to have a pissing match. In the meantime it’s rumored Tazewell gets a rubberized track which Graham asked but was denied but I digress.  

Why play the Tazewell game at Richlands? If it’s Graham’s home game this year just have Tazewell on visitor’s side for that game & Graham sit on the home side at Tazewell? Graham gets gate & concessions that night. It seems dumb to make both teams go to Richlands but that’s just me. 

 

[tornado99]

8 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

Well, that sucks for Graham kids.  City of Bluefield could have offered the traditional two year contract that’s always been offered but chose greed over kids. I back the decision by TCPS but it’s the Graham kids that are getting $hit on because adults chose to have a pissing match. In the meantime it’s rumored Tazewell gets a rubberized track which Graham asked but was denied but I digress.  

Why play the Tazewell game at Richlands? If it’s Graham’s home game this year just have Tazewell on visitor’s side for that game & Graham sit on the home side at Tazewell? Graham gets gate & concessions that night. It seems dumb to make both teams go to Richlands but that’s just me. 

 

I agree with you. I have absolutely no knowledge of this, so it may be a stupid question or explanation.

Are they just trying to find a way to evenly distribute gate money among the county schools with the arrangement above and/or limit evenly “wear and tear” from field use?

[CPF]

To keep Tazewell fans from sitting on home side during Graham home game i guess.

[EH31]

14 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

Well, that sucks for Graham kids.  City of Bluefield could have offered the traditional two year contract that’s always been offered but chose greed over kids. I back the decision by TCPS but it’s the Graham kids that are getting $hit on because adults chose to have a pissing match. In the meantime it’s rumored Tazewell gets a rubberized track which Graham asked but was denied but I digress.  

Why play the Tazewell game at Richlands? If it’s Graham’s home game this year just have Tazewell on visitor’s side for that game & Graham sit on the home side at Tazewell? Graham gets gate & concessions that night. It seems dumb to make both teams go to Richlands but that’s just me. 

 

Not a rumor. It was confirmed at the April school board meeting that Tazewell’s track is to be rubberized. The work should be completed in the next couple of months. 

[Gridiron60]

5 minutes ago, EH31 said:

Not a rumor. It was confirmed at the April school board meeting that Tazewell’s track is to be rubberized. The work should be completed in the next couple of months. 

It seems like the intelligent thing to do would have been install a rubberized track in the beginning rather than installing an asphalt one and less than a year later digging it up to replace it but that’s just me. In my opinion, all three schools should have had rubberized track installed from the get go. 

[EH31]

1 hour ago, stu_bean said:

Smartest thing I've seen them do in a while.

Looks like Dog territory may have some home squatters this season.  I would have to go back and look at schedules but I wonder if they do play at Tazewell, how same home nights may play out?

The only scheduling conflicts are 

9/12 Union @ Graham

9/12 Grayson Co. @ Tazewell 

&

10/24 Lebanon @ Graham

10/24 Richlands @ Tazewell

 

[Gridiron60]

18 minutes ago, tornado99 said:

I agree with you. I have absolutely no knowledge of this, so it may be a stupid question or explanation.

Are they just trying to find a way to evenly distribute gate money among the county schools with the arrangement above and/or limit evenly “wear and tear” from field use?

I honestly have no idea. 

[Gridiron60]

1 minute ago, EH31 said:

The only scheduling conflicts are 

9/12 Union @ Graham

9/12 Grayson Co. @ Tazewell 

&

10/24 Lebanon @ Graham

10/24 Richlands @ Tazewell

 

So basically almost every home game for Graham conflicts with Tazewell. I guess Graham will be playing a lot of Saturday games. I can’t see GMen wanting to play on Thursday nights. 

[EH31]

12 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

So basically almost every home game for Graham conflicts with Tazewell. I guess Graham will be playing a lot of Saturday games. I can’t see GMen wanting to play on Thursday nights. 

No, there’s only 2 scheduling conflicts out of the 5 home games. 
 

Thats not out of the ordinary. Graham played two Thursday games last season at Mitchell Stadium (Galax & Pulaski Co.) due to scheduling conflict. 
 

Fwiw, Richlands plays away games on 9/12 & 10/24 so there would be an open stadium on the only two days there would be scheduling conflicts in 2025.

[EH31]

20 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

It seems like the intelligent thing to do would have been install a rubberized track in the beginning rather than installing an asphalt one and less than a year later digging it up to replace it but that’s just me. In my opinion, all three schools should have had rubberized track installed from the get go. 

The asphalt doesn’t get dug up. The rubberized track has to have a base layer to cure to. 
 

similar to this - https://youtu.be/n1JPsmNehQY?si=50bdQRbN8rOzMtzF