Starr's Mill High School likely will get a stadium but will have to wait for a field house, Fayette County school officials suggested during a board of education work session Tuesday morning.

Two other high schools will get some athletic facilities out of the proposed deal.

A compromise proposal to build a stadium and seven playing fields, and postpone construction of the field house for the county's South Complex, which comprises Starr's Mill High School, Rising Starr Middle School and Peeples Elementary, will be voted on Monday night by the board.

The proposal was presented by Dr. Dennis Chamberlain, supervising principal at Starr's Mill High School. Plans to build a $3.2 million athletic facility including stadium plus field house at the South Complex were voted down by the board in December.

The estimated cost of the revised plan will be about $2 million and will include approximately $500,000 more to add a practice field and softball field at Fayette County High School and a practice field and additional stadium seats at McIntosh High School. School Superintendent Dr. Dave Brotherton will compile a final proposal for the board's decision with a financing package designed to refinance the school district's outstanding indebtedness of $3 million, add approximately $2 million to it, totaling an annual increase in payments of about $150,000.

"This will meet the physical education needs for 800 students a day," Brotherton said. "I believe this is an appropriate, doable way to go," he added.

Chamberlain said the proposal was a collaborative decision based on discussions with Starr's Mill Coach Mike Yearwood, school staff, the superintendent, district administrators and booster club members at Starr's Mill. In the absence of a field house, trailers will be installed to serve as temporary locker rooms and storage facilities.

Provided the board approves the proposal Monday, it is possible that the Starr's Mill Panthers will play at least several home games in their stadium next season. "Everything has to click right now to have that stadium ready," Richard Burton, architect for the project, said. "The longer we wait, the more difficult it will be."

The stadium plans call for a concrete bleachers for the home side and metal bleachers for the visitors with a total seating capacity of 3,600. Field construction would include a varsity and junior varsity practice field, game field, track stadium, baseball field, softball field and completion of the middle school football field and two soccer/physical education fields.

Board member Woody Shelnutt reminded the board of a an agreement struck with Georgia Power Co. to provide lighting for the stadium on a long-term lease agreement which would save "quite a bit of money." Details of the early negotiations will be reviewed.