A private school located near Magnolia Market plans to build a football field to be used for its home football games on Thursday and Friday nights.
Currently, Live Oak Classical School uses Paul Tyson Field near Waco High School for varsity home games. Junior high and junior varsity play most of their games away.
Athletic Director Brice Helton said the school hopes to convert its current practice field into a field that meets the requirements for six-man football.
The new field, which will be located on Fourth Street and Jackson Avenue, will have a 1,000 seating capacity. Students will use the field to practice soccer and for physical education.
Brice hopes the school can also host playoff games for the University Interscholastic League.
"That's kind of why we want to do this too, provide a top facility for six-man schools that are able to meet here in town and play playoff games and kind of bring and attract those school to our community," Helton said.
On Monday morning, crews started demolishing a building near Jackson and Fifth Street to expand the size of the current practice field.
"I feel when we have our own football field, we'll be practicing on it every day, we'll get used to it. You want to have a good feel for your field," Live Oak Classical eighth grade student Allbree Sharp.
The $2 million project will also go toward doing work on another field heavily used on campus and campus security.
Eighth-grader Will Schorlemer said the change would also help bring more fans to the games.
"It's right next to the school. Stay after school. Do your homework and come watch the game after school, Friday night," Schorlemer said.
According to Helton, 95 percent of the games will be held while Magnolia Market is closed. He added that games will not be held the same nights that the tourist attraction has special night events.
He doesn't anticipate the games at the field increasing traffic congestion in the area.
The project is expected to be completed in two years.
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