The city of Buford is in the process of purchasing land that officials said is being targeted for the future site of a new high school football stadium.
Earlier this month, the city commission provided initial approval to purchase of about 16 wooded acres at Robert Bell Parkway and Buford Highway, directly across the highway from the new Buford High School that's still under construction. A copy of the purchase-sale agreement obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution lists the sale price as $1.8 million.
At the recent city commission meeting, longtime chairman Phillip Beard said the property would “be utilized in the future for a new stadium for that new high school over there.” He said the project would also include a parking deck and “a crosswalk across Buford Highway there so people can go back and forth safely when utilizing the parking facility and all that.”
“Now that may five years from now,” Beard said, “but we’ve got to buy the land now.”
The property’s seller was listed as Sunggong Propeties LLC. The city is still in its due diligence period, city attorney Gregory Jay said this week.
Gwinnett County records showed the city already owns a 10-acre site that borders the new property to the northwest.
Buford High School’s current football venue, Tom Riden Stadium, is located a short drive away on Sawnee Avenue. It opened about 30 years ago.
Construction on the new high school — which will include more than 200,000 square feet of classroom space in addition to sizable athletic and performing arts facilities — is expected to be complete next year.
The city — which has been rife with turmoil in recent weeks over now-former schools Superintendent Geye Hamby's purported racist tirade — also opened last year the new 5,500-seat, $21 million Buford Arena. Basketball games and other events are held at that facility.
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