Smithfield’s Town Council held a March 6 ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a 600-square-foot concession stand for the football field at the Luter Sports Complex.

Construction began last summer and was completed in late fall. The Town Council voted in January to approve payment of final invoices totaling just over $34,000 to Athens Building Corp., the project contractor.

“We’re just so happy to be able as a town council to be able to provide these types of facilities from the recreational perspective for our people. It’s the right thing to do,” said Smithfield Town Councilman Steve Bowman. “We like to do that. It makes the quality of life in the town of Smithfield so much better and really it’s for the kids. It really is a good thing for the kids. And if you can get the kids out here in organized sports being mentored by great people, great coaches, great commissioners and things like that, it makes for a better kid and a better young adult.”

The two-story brick building includes bathrooms and a concession stand on the first floor and 391-square-foot conference space on the second floor accessible by an exterior staircase for Smithfield Packers Youth Sports, which runs football, track and cheerleading programs for ages 5-14.

SPYS President Derek Boone told the Times his organization plans to use the space to further its “Watch Me Finish” mentorship, tutoring and skills development program.

“We will do this by making sure no kid is forgotten while building a foundation, watching them flourish in life,” Boone said.

The concession stand is located adjacent to the football field, much closer than an existing concession stand and bathroom building that serves the park’s baseball and softball fields.

SPYS hosted multiple home games during the 2024 football season.

“Now we get a great opportunity to do more,” Boone said.

Athens had been the lowest of six bidders at $624,900. The project was estimated to cost just under $700,000 as of last May. According to Town Manager Michael Stallings, the work was completed under budget at $696,790, including construction and project administration costs.

The work was funded with federal COVID-19 relief money the town received from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. Smithfield received $8.7 million in ARPA funds, most of which the council put toward costly one-time infrastructure expenses. Localities had until Dec. 31 to obligate any remaining funds and through 2026 to spend them.

Plans for a nearly 4,000-square-foot maintenance building at the Luter Sports Complex for all town-owned parks, originally slated for the ARPA funding the council reallocated to the concession stand, remains on hold due to cost estimates having soared to over $1 million.