By Michael Butler

Tallassee High School graduation is planned for May 23 at J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium. The question is whether or not the facility will be open for business.

The field is being replaced with new prescription turf, a project estimated to take 90 days with perfect weather. Work began on Feb. 3.

“We’ve got more rain coming and more cold weather,” said Tallassee City Schools Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin. “It is hard to do any kind of excavation or earth moving in freezing weather with wet tools.”

The scheduled completion is date is for April 18.

“This isn’t my first rodeo, so that date’s probably going to be a continuance,” Nolin added.

Tallassee High School commencement exercises may be up in the air for O’Brien Stadium, but Nolin said there is another option.

“We do have an auditorium,” he said.

The new auditorium, also known as the Tallassee High School Performing Arts Center, seats 664, a capacity not large enough to accommodate the usual graduation night crowds.

“In 2005 we had to utilize the First Baptist Church. It would be a ticket allotment for students and a virtual televised event. That’s not something you want to do. You want kids to celebrate this accomplishment. Hopefully, fingers crossed, that contract date will coincide with the completion of the field.”