There's a new concession stand in town

It began with 4,000 cinder blocks.

Donated.

Now, Carson High School's first-ever permanent concession stand could be open for June 10 graduation, but more likely in time for the 2006 fall sports season, according to Carson High School Principal Fred Perdomo.

"This is for Carson City and for the future of Carson High School," Perdomo said. "And it's something I think is necessary and will be useful for years and years to come."

The 1,500 square-foot building featuring concessions, as well as men's and women's bathrooms, a storage facility, changing rooms and showers for referees, was funded primarily through donations - $200,000 from community members and organizations in both Carson City and Reno and $80,000 from funds raised by leadership students through candy sales at the school store over many years.

The structure is up, but sewer lines and wiring need to be laid, toilet and sinks installed, coats of painted slathered on and a sign positioned across the front.

"It's always been one of those things on our wish list," Perdomo said. "You wish you had this. You wish you had that. Here we are the capital's center. If you have a new facility when people come to visit and they're looking to move to Carson City, it will help attract them to the community."

The large bathrooms - the women's reportedly will have twice the number of toilets as the men's - will mean the school no longer has to open nearby bathrooms to the public, nor spend $8,000 annually in portable facilities.

"You need outdoor facilities and we have not had that luxury in the years Fred and I have been here," said Ron McNutt, outgoing athletic director at Carson High School, who worked on the project with Perdomo.

A movable trailer that has sold concessions over the years will be taken off the football field.

"That one was really small and always packed when people went to get food there," said Joe Leatham, 17, student body president and Leadership member. "There were always huge lines. You could wait five to 10 minutes and miss an important play in a game, especially during football."

The money sold from concessions will be used to support sports' booster clubs, which then use the money to support the school programs. The stand is in the north end of the football field.

"It'll be nice to look over from the field and see it's ours and part of our school," Leatham said. "It will be cool to look over and see that I think."

A wheelchair accessible path will eventually be built from the high school parking lot around the field to the concession stand and onto the other side. A barbecue pit will be out front of the stand and lights will frame the exterior.

Work began on the stand about a year ago, but the hoped-for 2006 graduation completion date seemed more and more an impossibility as issues with permitting, donations and weather arose.

Snacks and soda will be allowed to be sold at the stand, as long as sales occur a half-hour after school ends, according to the state's nutrition wellness policy just adopted by the Carson City School District.

Carson High is one of the few area high schools to not have a permanent concession stand. Perdomo said the new one is 80 to 85 percent complete.

The stand couldn't be if it weren't for donors like Roy Good & Son's, Western Nevada Supply, Capital City Concrete, American Ready Mix Inc., Basalite and many more.

• Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.