GAINESVILLE — The Alachua County School Board voted 4–1 Tuesday night against moving forward with the purchase of Citizens Field, a historic stadium that serves as the home field for the city’s three public high school football teams.
The proposed agreement would have allowed the district to buy the property from the City of Gainesville for $500,000.
School district officials pointed to significant concerns about the stadium’s condition. Estimates suggest building a new facility could cost between $22 million and $25 million, with additional infrastructure expenses possible.
Board members who opposed the purchase cited financial risks, potential liability issues and uncertainty about long-term costs associated with the site.
Board member Sarah Rockwell cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I 100% percent believe that Citizens Field is still the most logistically feasible, financially responsible, and equitable option for our community,” Rockwell said. Citizens Field first opened in 1948 and has long been a centerpiece of high school athletics in Gainesville, particularly in East Gainesville.
Rockwell emphasized the stadium’s broader impact beyond athletics.
“Citizens Field doesn't just hold a lot of history, but it brings a lot of economic development and business to East Gainesville,” she said. With the purchase now off the table, district leaders must determine how to meet the long-term athletic needs of local students. Officials say they plan to return to the board with additional options, which could include building new stadiums on individual school campuses or developing a shared facility at another location.
Rockwell said she supports continuing discussions but expressed concern the board may have passed on the most practical solution.
“We need to move forward in the most productive way we can to make sure that our students have a place to call home, that our student athletes have a place to play, our marching bands have a place to perform,” she said. District staff will now work on conceptual plans and develop cost estimates before presenting recommendations to the board at a future meeting.