Central Catholic has extended its lease of 10 acres of land owned by Central Illinois Regional Airport. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Central Catholic High School)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Central Catholic High School isn't losing its football practice facility after all.
The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority on Thursday granted an extension of a 10-year lease on the 10-acre field which the airport owns.
"The airport authority agreed to extend the lease for another five-year renewal because this had to be approved at least one year prior to the end of the current lease," Central Illinois Regional Airport spokesman Fran Strebing explained.
CCHS Principal Sean Foster said he did not think the land owned by the airport would be available in the future.
"In 2013, my predecessor as well as the authorities at the airport and a few of the Bloomington city authorities met," said Foster. "After that meeting, it was our understanding we could not be guaranteed that we could renew the lease, so at that point we started looking at other options."
Bloomington aldermen were also under the impression the school would lose access to the field, which led to an effort to get the city to approve state money to expand McGraw Park for the school to use. That deal was struck down and the city is try to get the grant to use for other purposes.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
