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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The Kirksville High School Football Stadium is getting a big upgrade. The Kirksville School Board voted Wednesday night to spend a half a million dollars to replace the bleachers at Spainhower Field.

The money will come from the district's capital improvement funds. Superintendent Patrick Williams said the current bleachers need to replaced because they're out-dated, and are not up to code when it comes to accommodating the disabled.

"The new bleachers will be first of all handicap accessible, they'll be structurally more substantial than the bleachers we have now plus they'll be an expansion of seating from around 800 to 1,000 to 1,700," said  Williams.  

Construction is expected to begin in the next couple of weeks. Hanson Construction Company has been awarded the bid to do the work.

Williams said the board is also in discussion about how to repair the surface of the football field; on the table is the option of spending $600,000 to 700,000 to replace the current surface with artificial turf.

"There has been some discussion about synthetic turf although if we go that route, that will require a partnership with the Booster club or some other outside organizations that want to partner with us but that is very much in the beginning stages," said Williams.  

Williams said the board will determine in the next couple of weeks whether to replace the grass field with turf. Either way, Williams said the current field needs to be repaired.