City looks to upgrade Cramton Bowl
By Tim Gayle
Cramton Bowl will be lit up tonight, filled with Jefferson Davis High School fans rooting on their beloved Volunteers in their season opener against Dothan High School.
But the noise, and the lights won't be able to hide the stadium's shortcomings: no luxury boxes, no posh press box, no artichoke-and-goat-cheese pizza, and certainly no club-level entertainment.
No, not much structurally has been done to Cramton Bowl since it was built in 1922, other than grandstands added to the east side 45 years ago.
In 2004, the city did drop $4.2 million on new lights, seats and a synthetic playing surface, but there's no disagreement among both public and sporting officials that the monument to yesteryear needs a new look.
Makeovers take money, though. The price tag to transform the 24,000-seat Cramton Bowl into a stadium where college games and high school post-season games could be played stands at $14 million -- a bill that Mayor Bobby Bright isn't willing for the city to foot on its own.
Bright, re-elected to a third term Tuesday, wants to split the cost with at least three partners, possibly four. The ones he has in mind -- Alabama State University, Montgomery County and the Montgomery public school system -- would all benefit from a renovated Cramton Bowl.
"If we four entities partnered -- maybe even the state, that could be five -- if the five
partners divvied up the $14 to $15 million it would take to finish the master plan, it would be a very doable project," the mayor said. "But for one entity like the city to take on a $14 million project, it's just not a priority for me."
Right now, the possible partners mentioned by Bright aren't pushing for the plan, either.
Montgomery County could finance its share by giving up money it receives from the city in sales tax from ticket sales. Lost revenue aside, county commissioners recognize the stadium needs major work -- along with other public venues such as Garrett Coliseum -- and are willing to at least talk about it, said commission Chairman Todd Strange.
"I agree Cramton Bowl does need attention," Strange said. "Garrett Coliseum needs attention, too, and I'm not opposed to some facility (renovations). I think it's worth a conversation."
The school board could donate a portion of its ticket sales from high school games. Still, it would be tough for the district to help pay the tab when it's already over budget on several new schools, said spokesman Tom Salter.
ASU isn't eager to even talk about renovating Cramton Bowl because it wants a stadium on campus.
The first time the city tried to form a partnership with ASU was four years ago. The council went so far as to hire noted stadium architect Heery International as a consultant and to consider a bond issue to fund the renovation. ASU officials didn't want to be part of the deal then because they wanted that on-campus stadium.
"When the proposed partnership died, we haven't gone anywhere with that plan." Bright said. "We've got so many other necessary projects around the city that need to be done. ... I can't prioritize it over other city needs out there like a new city jail."
When it opened, Cramton Bowl hosted both football and baseball games. Still, the stadium built its reputation on the pigskin.
Perhaps its highest profile football game was the annual Blue-Gray All-Star Classic, which pitted the best college seniors in the North and the South against each other.
The city lost the game in 2001, when sponsor Kelly Tire walked away. Game executives scoured the country in search of a new title sponsor but found the going tough with an antiquated bowl. The game moved in 2003 to a nicer Movie Gallery Memorial Stadium in Troy but couldn't draw a crowd without the population base of Montgomery.
"There's no doubt that not having the (upgraded) facility did not help us," said Charlie Anderson, past Blue-Gray president. "They're not just looking for air time, they're looking for an event to promote relations with their clients and an on-site facility worthy of their image. There's no way that's happening at Cramton Bowl."
Bright is confident that Montgomery will see the Blue-Gray Classic again if Cramton Bowl is renovated.
"If people can make this happen," the mayor said. "I will tell you the Blue-Gray game will be revived."
The work that would have to be done to Cramton Bowl ranges from updating the concourse and concession areas to building a club-level press box, a floor reserved for game promoters and sponsors. Any stadium without luxury suites would be pressed to compete for even the postseason high school finals.
One of the most costly improvements that Cramton Bowl needs is an elevator to the luxury suites. Total cost: $1 million. The city could face a lawsuit if it doesn't install an elevator to provide access for disabled fans.
Since the 1990s, Cramton Bowl has been free for the asking.
The city doesn't get rent or reimbursement for maintenance and security. To get an idea of the taxpayers' lay out, the Montgomery Police Department racked up $165,311 in overtime last season to provide security at football games and other events.
The city could start changing a gate fee -- like it did 15 years ago -- to collect money for the stadium's renovation. The fee would go away again, Bright said, as soon as the work was paid for.
For the time being, though, Bright is focused on merely forming partnerships to get the work done.
"What we need to do is for everybody to meet at the table, have a consensus and organize a concerted effort to upgrade it," said Bright.
