Pasco County Schools to rebuild two aging high school stadiums

Pasco County Schools is moving to replace the aging stadiums at Land O’ Lakes and Hudson high schools. Work on both sites will begin as soon as football season concludes. The district aims to have both facilities finished by the start of the 2027-28 school year.

The renovation plan addresses two of the oldest venues in the county. At Land O’ Lakes, John Benedetto Stadium, locally known as The Swamp, has served the community for 50 years. The site hosted football, soccer, and lacrosse games before its final event, the 20th annual Butter Bowl, on Oct. 23. In that game, the Gators defeated rival Sunlake 31-0, securing their sixth consecutive victory over the Seahawks.

The construction scope for Land O’ Lakes includes new stadium facilities, updated locker rooms and multipurpose spaces for both boys and girls, and a new building for concessions and restrooms. The project also adds a new storage building and updates to the weight and wrestling rooms. It will feature the district’s third rubberized track.

The stadium honors John Benedetto, who coached the Gators for 32 years and accumulated 196 wins. The venue was dedicated in his name in late 2012, shortly before his death at age 66. Benedetto’s wife, Vanie, was inducted into the school’s hall of fame last week with a lifetime achievement award.

At Hudson, Cobras Stadium, nicknamed The Snake Pit, opened in 1973. It will receive new 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 this past summer. Pasco High opened in 1889, making it the oldest school in the county.

Final costs for the two stadium projects have not yet been determined.