Lehighton Area School District broke ground Thursday for its new $6.3 million multi-sports complex, complete with a turf field.

But the new complex didn't come easily.The 5-4 vote surrounding a Lehighton Area School District multipurpose stadium signals mixed feelings on the facility.However, athletic directors from area districts that have already made the switch from natural grass to artificial turf said the benefits have been amazing.The playing surface change is the highlight of the project, which will also feature a visitor and home grandstand, press box, 62-foot by 260-foot field house, 42-foot by 74-foot restroom/maintenance building, a 119-vehicle paved parking lot and a 100-vehicle grass overflow lot; and a new lighting system for the field and parking lot.An advantage"We love our turf field," said Jake Percy, Pleasant Valley School District athletic director. "It drains so well that we don't have to automatically cancel a game when it's raining. In the spring, it's the first to melt so all of my spring sports teams are out on it because their fields usually aren't ready."Pleasant Valley is in its eighth year using the turf field, compared with Northern Lehigh School District, which made the transition three years ago.Everyone plays on the Bulldogs' turf from booster club to varsity sports. During the fall season, easily the stadium's busiest time, that includes all levels of football, girls and boys soccer, and field hockey.Turf has also given the district an advantage when it comes to hosting District 11 and PIAA playoff games.Along with the rental fee the district receives, it gets to keep profits from refreshments sold at those events.Between football and soccer in 2014, Northern Lehigh hosted 14 playoff games on the turf including the PIAA Class AA eastern final football game.Playoff games pack the stands, and Slatington businesses also see a windfall."In talking to our businesses, I know they see an increase in revenues," Northern Lehigh Athletic Director Bryan Geist said. "People stop for gas and eat around here. That is a huge benefit for the town."Lehighton proposalWith Lehighton a central location in District 11, Athletic Director Kyle Spotts plans to try to get playoff games as well."If we can increase our concession revenues, that goes right back to the parent-run programs that staff the stands, and it benefits the kids," Spotts said. "We've even had conversations with our band director about hosting county band now that we have a facility to host competitions like that. It will also give us an outdoor facility for high school graduation."While hosting playoff games is nice, first and foremost is making the stadium an asset for Lehighton's own student-athletes and the community.Lehighton already has an all-weather track at the site, next to the high school, which is heavy utilized, Spotts said."We want the community to use this stadium," he said. "We even want the booster club program to come up and use it if that is something they would be interested in."Lehighton isn't alone.Palmerton Area School District officials are considering a state-of-the-art multipurpose turf field that would cost $2.4 million, and be located at the current football field and track site at the high school stadium.The turf field would be a component of a proposed $21 million renovation project, which would include the expansion of the district's junior high school, complete with its own cafeteria and kitchen, and air-conditioned classrooms.Sunup to sundownPleasant Valley made it a priority to have its stadium open from sunup to sundown unless there is snow. Evenings often find kids playing soccer on the turf or people walking and running on the track."We use it from right after school to 9 p.m. It is a minimal cost to turn the lights on every night so that we can use it that late," Percy said.Northern Lehigh estimated a $50,000 savings per year on maintenance over a natural grass field including labor, paint, fertilizer and seeding."There are a lot of things you don't think about like cleaning up mud in the locker room after a game," Geist said. "You don't have that issue with a turf field."Meanwhile, Pleasant Valley takes a different view on the maintenance benefits."I don't know if you can sit there and hang your hat on maintenance savings because you have to replace the top of the turf regardless," Percy said. "We're thinking after year 12 that we're going to spend $350,000 to $400,000 on the top."Despite the contrasting thoughts, Spotts said one guarantee is that manpower normally dedicated to a football field can be directed elsewhere."Painting and cutting a football field for a game is almost a three-day process depending on weather," he said. "With a turf field, the lines are sewn in so now the crews can be out working on other things."Juggling practice times can be tricky with just one turf field and multiple teams wanting to use it.Geist said it hasn't been an issue, but scheduling has been a challenge.Both he and Percy said coaches in their respective districts have been very understanding of the demand for practice time and usually split the field with other athletic teams."We'll often put field hockey on one half of the field and soccer on the other half," Geist said. "When games start it is difficult to get practice time on the field because we play every game at every level on it including middle school sports."Critics of a turf field often cite injury concerns as a reason not to switch from natural grass."I have not seen any difference when it comes to injuries," Geist said. "I don't think they have increased or decreased. One thing I can say is that in the summer, the playing surface is going to be hotter. When our athletes are here training, we have supplied misting fans to help keep them cool, and they hydrate as much as possible."Work at the Lehighton stadium site is set to pick up within two to three weeks. District officials hope it will be completed by November.