​The Stadium Proposal: University School (US) is proposing to build a high school sports stadium on its elementary school campus. US is a valued community partner, but its proposed stadium project would change  our quiet residential neighborhood for the worse, and forever. As proposed by US, the stadium would include grandstands to seat 907 spectators plus space for standing room crowds, platforms for a press  box, 80-ft tall light towers, a giant, billboard-sized scoreboard, public address system, chain link fence surrounding the facility, and the possible addition of other buildings and facilities in the future. The current regulation sized track will be replaced by a practice surface that will no longer allow the school to host track and field meets.

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Our Neighborhood's Concerns: We, as local residents, appreciate University School and wish to see it succeed. We simply are against a stadium project that would forever change our quiet residential neighborhood for the worse. Our neighborhood would be negatively impacted in the following ways:

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• Traffic and Parking Overflow – It will create significant congestion on local streets and potentially block driveways and emergency access.

• Security and Safety – Large scale high school sporting events, especially those held at night, have caused safety problems in other nearby communities. This would increase the need for added security in our neighborhood.

• Noise Impacts – Crowd noise and the PA system will project into nearby homes. 

• Light Pollution – Tall permanent light towers will be an eyesore while their bright lights will illuminate nearby streets and homes.

• Trash and Debris – Large crowds typically leave a substantial mess behind. Who will clean this up?

• Property Values – All of these changes may decrease property values.

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The Lawsuit: Recently, University School filed a lawsuit against the city of Shaker Heights over the city's recently updated zoning ordinances that would significantly hinder the school's plans to build this stadium. This lawsuit is costing Shaker Heights taxpayers money. It's also asking a judge, rather than the city and its residents, to decide whether a stadium will be built. We feel that is wrong.

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Why Build a Second Stadium in Shaker?: We are unable to understand why University School needs to build  a high school sports stadium on its elementary school campus in Shaker Heights when it already has a stadium on its 200+ acre campus in Hunting Valley. (see FAQ) For details about the proposal and our concerns read the Fact Sheet.

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It is also important to understand that this stadium will burden our quiet Shaker neighborhood so that sports teams from other towns can play “under the lights.”