New Islander Stadium Concession Stand, Press Box to Open for Homecoming

School district officials say Mercer Island High School’s new press box and concession stand will be ready for kickoff as the Islander’s face the Lake Washington Kangaroos in Friday’s Homecoming football game.

The bottom floor will include new space for the concession stand and second floor will house coaching staff, game announcers and scorekeepers, videographers and the high school radio station, complete with Internet Wi-Fi technology. The new building also offers cross ventilation and heating.

“We have built a modern facility to replace one that was more than 40 years old, inefficiently sited and unable to handle the current demands.” said Tony Kuhn, the Director of Maintenance and Operations for the district. “We’ve also converted the old press box location into special handicapped seating for events, something Islander Stadium didn’t have previously."

The new press box facility was moved to the east about 20 feet, allowing spectators better access to the stands and more room for patrons to congregate around the new concession area.

Islanders fan favorite Dave's Barbecue, a concessionaire hired by the Mercer Island Football Booster Club, will relocate its trailer-sized Barbecue grill to the grass lot to the north of the new concession windows and sales will be handled through one of the windows there.

The press box, approved for construction by the Mercer Island School Board in the spring, was built by Mercer Island School District staff to reduce cost.

“The new concession area will be fast and efficient,” said the district’s Executive Director Dean Mack. “We’ve talked to the coaches and boosters, who are very excited. They think they can quadruple sales.”

The press box stands on the east side of the stadium, centered on the 50-yard line.

"A lot of our staff are local alums," Kuhn said. "This building was build with a lot of Islander pride."