On April 8, Palo Verde Unified School District’s (PVUSD) Board of Trustees approved via majority vote to accept and award bid for Palo Verde High School’s (PVHS) Baseball/Softball Complex Project in the amount of $6,896,000.
The respective project’s contractor is noted as Wakeco, Inc., of Temecula; plans for the project began in July 2021.
“We believe that the approval of this softball and baseball complex is a declaration that our students are, and always will be, our top priority! While some may question the allocation of the resources and funding, we believe it is an investment in the future of all our students in the Palo Verde Unified School District,” shared PVHS Principal Jack Reed with the Times. “Today’s elementary students are tomorrow’s future Yellow Jackets. This complex brings our students home to a state of the art facility on our campus for baseball games.”
Currently, PV hosts JV and varsity baseball games at Todd Park’s Alexander Field in the core of the city; softball’s JV and varsity games are currently played on-campus, with part of the (latter half) season tied to afternoon play during the earlier warm months of the year (late March; April; May).
“We appreciate the partnership with the City of Blythe and Little League for the use of Todd Park for our games, but our students deserve a home field on their campus,” added Reed. “It provides our softball players an opportunity to play games later in the day eliminating those early releases from crucial class time. It means more time in their academic classes and limits the time they will be exposed to the intense heat, ensuring their safety and well-being. We understand this project is not giving everyone everything, but this approval sends a message to our students and our community: we value you, and we want the best for you throughout your journey during your high school years!”
In meetings’ past, some residents – to include former PVUSD board of trustees’ member Alfonso “Sonny” Hernandez – raised concerns and levied public criticisms over the project’s price points and more.
“You have, maybe, less than a hundred people attend a baseball game? And you want to spend six million dollars? I love baseball,” stated resident Irene Esquibel during public comment of PVUSD’s March 2025 board meeting. “I grew up playing it. I played it for the high school; my two oldest played – softball and baseball. This is ridiculous. We play on the fields that are there now. Yes, we should give our kids something better. But six million dollars?”
As publicly presented, the sports complex project’s funding is allocated from the following:
• Fund 40 – Special Reserve Fund for Capital Outlay Projects, $4.2 million;
• Fund 21 – Bond Series B, $1.6 million;
• Donor for the lighting – approximately, $1.2 million;
• Ending fund balance – Committed Funds, if needed.
Additionally, the sports complex project’s base bid and alternates’ amounts were listed as:
• Base Bid Amount: $6,750,000;
• Alternate No. 1: $34,000 ([3] Two Tier Dugout Bench);
• Alternate No. 2: $33,000 (All-Weather Helmet & Bat Slot Stand-Up Cubby);
• Alternate No. 3: $20,000 (Concrete Entry with Retardant Finish and painted Yellow Jacket Logo and Lettering);
• Alternate No. 4: $10,000 (Entry Bench);
• Alternate No. 5: $40,000 (Planting Irrigation at Concrete);
• Alternate No. 6: $9,000 (Trash Receptacle with Integrated Recycle Bin).
• Total Cost for all six (6) Alternates: $146,000;
• Base Bid + six (6) Alternates: $6,896,000.
“I am pleased that the baseball(/softball) complex was approved last night. I feel this will be a facility for the students to take pride in. They deserve that – and I think it’s important. I also feel that this will be a facility that our community will be able to enjoy. I get excited thinking about Friday nights, at the games, and having our community out at this great facility,” shared PVUSD Superintendent April Smith. “It’s also something that’s been a long time in the works. And I’m just happy to see it moving forward. I do realize that some people have concerns – they worry that it is a lot of money; but I believe our students deserve this modern up-to-date facility, with lighting. I think it’s important for our kids; so, I’m excited about this.”
To date, the PV Yellow Jackets’ baseball/softball complex project is – tentatively – hoping to break ground sometime this summer in 2025.
“Once the ground breaks and construction begins, the students and staff of Palo Verde High School will finally have all of our sports teams one step closer to competing on their home campus,” noted Reed.
