Pasco County Schools to rebuild stadiums at Land O' Lakes and Hudson

Pasco County Schools will replace the athletic facilities at Land O' Lakes High School and Hudson High School once the current football season ends. The district aims to complete both renovation projects before the start of the 2027-28 school year.

The work begins at John Benedetto Stadium at Land O' Lakes, a venue known locally as The Swamp. The stadium has hosted football, soccer, lacrosse, and other events for 50 years. Its final contest before construction was the 20th annual Butter Bowl on Oct. 23, where the Gators defeated Sunlake 31-0 for their sixth consecutive victory over the Seahawks. The planned improvements include new locker rooms and multipurpose spaces for both boys and girls athletes. The district will also build a new concessions and restroom structure, a storage building, and update the weight and wrestling rooms. Additionally, the project will install the district's third rubberized track.

The stadium is named for John Benedetto, who coached the Gators for 32 years and compiled 196 wins. The facility was dedicated in his honor in late 2012, six months before his death at age 66. Benedetto is part of the school's hall of fame. His wife, Vanie Benedetto, was inducted into that hall last week with a lifetime achievement award.

At Hudson High School, the district will renovate Cobras Stadium, nicknamed The Snake Pit. The facility opened in 1973. The renovation will feature new stadium facilities and the district's fourth rubberized track. The school recently completed an update to its field house. The district previously renovated W.F. Edwards Stadium at Pasco High, the county's oldest school, during the summer. Pasco High opened in 1889. Final costs for the two new stadium projects have not yet been determined.

The replacements mark the next phase in the district's infrastructure updates for its aging high school athletic venues.