LEWISTOWN — Two new stadiums and other modern athletic facilities for Mifflin County High School, years in the making, will finally see reality when the construction wraps up at the Huskies Multi-Sports Complex on Aug. 1.

“We can’t wait. It’s been a long time coming, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Mifflin County School District Superintendent of Schools Vance Varner said of the $18.5 million facilities project.

The complex is nearing substantial completion with a deadline of Aug.1, which is days before the Mifflin County football team and Marching Huskies band are slated to take the field. The football team starts its mandatory heat acclimatization on Aug. 4 as does the marching band with its annual band camp.

While Donald M. Chapman III Stadium will host Mifflin County varsity football games, all athletic teams will have access to practice and compete on Kish Bank Field, built in front of the high school, as well as nearby Marcal Paper Field, which is located on the former Highland Park Elementary School campus.

The first day of practice for the remaining athletic teams is Aug. 11, along with junior varsity and junior high school sports.

Two new athletic venues will greet Husky athletes this fall, which also includes field hockey, boys and girls soccer and cheerleading. After several delays — due to permitting and weather — the baseball and softball teams took to their new fields last spring. The track and field teams were unable to use the new eight-lane track at Marcal Paper Field and spent the season on the road.

“It’s going to be a huge boost for the community, for athletic programs, and also for people moving to the area,” Varner said.

The original completion date was Dec. 31, 2024. It was revised to May 2025 in time to host graduation at the new complex. That didn’t happen either as commencement ceremonies were held at Mitchell Field. Now, the Aug. 1 deadline is on target, which means the Husky football team will kick off its season against Central Mountain on Aug. 22 in their new digs.

“We had a slow start with the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) permitting changes, which put off our start date,” Varner explained. “We had harsh weather and a bad winter, which was frustrating, but we are ending on a good note.”

Varner said the prime contractor for the project, Keystone Sports Construction, of Phoenixville, Chester County, will have two or three crews on site daily until the job is done. Varner and Tom White, director of buildings and grounds, met with the company’s owners on Thursday to make certain the stadium project would be substantially completed by Aug. 1; they feel confident it will be.

“We’re expecting to finish strong and finish up within the next two or three weeks,” Varner said. “We confirmed the Aug. 1 date is their goal.”

He also credited the hard work and dedication of White and Nick Knable, buildings and grounds supervisor, with the construction project.

“They are so valuable to the school district,” Varner added. “They are on the job site every day. We’re indebted to them to get the project across the finish line.”

The only question mark is whether a top section to the home bleachers — in front of the high school that still needs to be installed — will arrive in time.

This additional section will connect to the top of the current bleacher and will fill a space between the current bleachers and the road in front of the high school.

The complex has still come a long in a relatively short period of time. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in April 2024.

At one point, the complex looked simply like a lot of dirt and dust. Now, it will be a facility that the school district and community can certainly be proud of.

The project includes four new fields:

Kish Bank Field at Donald M. Chapman III Stadium

Artificial Turf, bleachers with a seating capacity for 4,270 people — 1,970 seats for the home side, 1,495 seats for the visitor’s side and 805 seats for the student and band sections;

Press box, video scoreboard, and stadium lights;

Parking lot with 67 parking spaces, paving, lighting and stormwater.

Geisinger Field House at Donald M. Chapman III Stadium

Two team rooms, two concession stands with commercial kitchens and two ticket booths;

Women’s restroom with 18 water closets and men’s restroom with four water closets and six urinals;

Family toilet room, trainer’s room, mechanical room, small storage and custodian closet.

Marcal Paper Field

Artificial Turf and an eight-lane track;

Bleachers with seating for 500 people;

Traditional scoreboard and stadium lights;

Includes steps and handicapped ramp to softball field;

Parking lot with 103 parking spaces, paving, lighting and stormwater.

Fleet Reps Field House at Marcal Paper Field

Two team rooms, football drying room, small concession stand, storage and one ticket booth;

Women’s restroom with six water closets and men’s restroom with two water closets and four urinals;

Family toilet room and custodian closet.

The infields at the First Quality Field for softball and the Capouillez Field for baseball each have artificial turf.