Billings Public Schools is holding a meeting on Tuesday night to gather feedback from the community regarding the future of Daylis Stadium.
Built in 1929, the stadium has experienced deterioration over the years. It serves as the main host site for Billings high school football games, track meets, and various special events like the Big Sky State Games and occasional Shrine All-Star Football games.
The meeting on Tuesday, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the library at Senior High, will include a tour of the facility for attendees to provide the district with valuable insight on the best steps moving forward.
“If nothing else, we’ll raise awareness,” mentioned Billings Schools Activities Director Mark Sulser on Monday. “I believe most individuals who have been to Billings are aware of the current state of affairs.”
Sulser, a former coach and teacher in the school district, emphasized the stadium’s iconic status and its history of hosting significant games and events over the years.
“There’s a lot of history here,” Sulser said. “Many memorable games, whether in soccer or football championships, have taken place here, but now it’s in need of repair.”
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Sulser gave MTN a tour of the stadium on Monday and highlighted some key concerns. The deteriorating steps leading to the bleachers are causing debris buildup and structural holes.
“For those with mobility issues or the elderly, it’s recommended to sit lower due to the lack of handrails. Even if you’re agile, you need to be cautious,” Sulser pointed out as he ascended the bleachers.
Sulser also noted issues with the track. With only six lanes, the stadium is unable to host postseason high school track meets, and the patched asphalt has created bumps and cracks.
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“You can see how the surface of the track has been repeatedly patched over the years,” Sulser observed.
Additionally, damage is visible underneath the bleachers in the locker rooms and showers below the stadium—examples of wear and tear that the district aims to address.
“It’s a fantastic venue with great history, but it’s showing its age,” Sulser remarked. “We must attend to it.”
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However, not everyone agrees that repairing Daylis is the best solution. Billings resident Larry Herzog believes investing in a new facility would be more beneficial than trying to patch up the existing stadium.
“The issue isn’t just the deterioration but the limitations,” Herzog explained. “I don’t see a way to expand Daylis. It’s either postponing the inevitable or offering a temporary fix.”
The extent of repairs the district will undertake and the funding sources for these projects remain uncertain, but both Herzog and Sulser concur that action is necessary.
“We must plan for the future now and not regret it later,” Herzog emphasized.
“I have fond memories of this place in its old state,” Sulser reflected. “But that was a decade or two ago. Change is imperative.”
