HANCOCK - Finlandia has built it, and they will come this weekend.
"It," of course, is McAfee Field in Hancock, and "they" are fans attending its first prep varsity competition tonight when the HCHS Bulldogs host Northland Pines of Eagle River, Wis. The Finlandia University Lions will also play for the first time at the facility Sunday with a pair of soccer games against Robert Morris University (Ill.)-Lake County.
"It's pretty gratifying in that sense, given the fact that we've had a lot of work to date over the past two years to get this project done," Finlandia athletic director Chris Salani said.
Ground was broken on the project in May, but the facility has already hosted practice and a pair of Hancock junior varsity football games. Commemorations of the inaugural games at the facilities are slated for the weekend, with more festivities to come when Hancock hosts Calumet Sept. 23.
About $2.3 million has been invested into the first phase of the project on the site of the former Condon Field, which includes a lighted ProGrass synthetic field and a scoreboard, all oriented at a 90-degree angle from the former grass field. Fundraising continues for the next phase of the project, which will include a fieldhouse, grandstand, practice field and possibly tennis courts.
The facility has been renamed after Sandy McAfee, a major donor and 25-year member of Finlandia's Board of Trustees.
Last week, Finlandia officials showed off the progress made at the site thus far to the community at a "Hear Our Roar" tailgate event.
"Now, basically, our hard work begins in getting phase two and three off-ground," Salani said.
Salani estimated that it will take $5 to 6 million to complete the next two phases of the project, which will include all of the above facilities, plus a regulation softball field and a nature trail.
A timetable for the project will depend on fundraising and construction details, but Salani said, if possible, they would like to break ground in spring.
Both Finlandia soccer teams have wins already this season: the men are 1-1 and the women are 1-2. Kickoff for the women's game is at 10 a.m., followed by the men at noon.
