KEARNEY, Neb. — The new-look Stars Stadium is now open at Kearney Catholic High School. The school hosted a dedication ceremony on Thursday for the $6.78 million complex.

Better outdoor athletic facilities has been on the minds of many Kearney Catholic supporters for decades.

Jonathan Nikkila has been thinking about it since he was a student.

“1990s as a kid out here running on this track and kind of wondering how we can get something better," Nikkila said. "Understanding at that time that things take time, especially things that cost money when there’s other priorities.”

Now a track and cross country coach, Nikkila decided it was time to take action. He went to school leadership for support, then to the community as the fundraising campaign co-chair.

“You can’t let that around you get you down when you’re passionate about something," Nikkila said. "You have to push through it and eventually people start to believe.”

The Stars hosted their first football game at the renovated Miles Field two weeks ago. Sara Homan with the Kearney Catholic Foundation says the stands hold 1500 and nearly 2,100 people came through the gates.

“It’s magical," Homan said. "It really feels like a blessing and a testimony to so many people who for multiple decades have put time and energy into both maintaining the facility we had, and dreaming of a better facility.”

The first football game at the new Stars Stadium is complete, but there’s still some work to go on the complex. There needs to be striping done to the track, sod will be planted and a Holy Family garden will be installed. That timeline for those projects is weather-dependent.

The good news is the concession stand will be ready for Friday’s game and, for the first time in a long time, there will be restrooms on site.

“The most exciting thing yesterday was that I flushed a toilet," Homan said. "If you’ve spent any time out here, you know that we have been using ports potties for decades, so to know that the bathrooms will be functioning is really exciting.”

Now that the turf is being broken in, Nikkila is looking forward to the first track practice in the spring.

“I was tired of having kids turn their ankles, slip and fall and scrape a knee, and not be able to do hurdles," Nikkila said. "I was tired of all that. I think every day is going to be pretty surreal.”

The Kearney Catholic Foundation is still looking to raise about one million dollars for the project.