Laramie Petition to Save Historic Deti Stadium Nears 1,000 Signatures

Nearly 1,000 Laramie residents and alumni have signed a Change.org petition demanding that Albany County School District #1 halt any sale of Deti Stadium, the 64-year-old facility the district placed on its surplus list despite the site's active use as a public track and year-round youth programming space.

Named for longtime Laramie Plainsman coach John Deti Sr., the stadium opened its first varsity football season in 1962 and hosted its last Plainsman game in 2015, when ACSD#1 opened a newer facility. The property never went dormant after that. Special Olympics athletes practice on the track, preschool programs operate on the grounds, and local nonprofits and youth groups use the space for fundraisers and community events throughout the year.

ACSD#1's surplus designation set off the community mobilization. Under Wyoming school district procedures, any formal disposition of the property requires public notice, board approval, and potentially public hearings before a sale can close. The board has not yet scheduled a vote, but petition organizers pushed the district to pause the process until alternatives that preserve public access are fully examined.

Community reaction has been divided. Some residents expressed outrage at the prospect of selling a site carrying six decades of Laramie sports history. Others signaled cautious acceptance of a financially driven reuse, contingent on protective covenants that would keep the track and grounds open to the public. ACSD#1 has not publicly released maintenance cost estimates, a sale price target, or specific redevelopment proposals for the site, leaving the financial calculus largely unaddressed in the public debate so far.

Whatever direction the district takes, a formal board vote will be required, and the legal notice process guarantees residents at least one public opportunity to speak before any transaction closes. ACSD#1 board agendas are posted publicly, and no vote on the stadium's disposition has yet been placed on the calendar.