PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 4, 2025
South Portland High School’s new athletic complex will have a natural grass field. Voters approved a $4.6 million bond for a new field, a new track, new lighting and permanent bathrooms. South Portland residents had the option to vote for a grass option, a turf option, both or neither. 4,936 of the 9,910 voters supported a stadium revamp with a natural grass option, with 4,269 votes against — a difference of 667 votes. The turf question was defeated by a wide margin: 6,718 voters rejected that option, while 2,475 supported it. Opponents of the synthetic turf field were concerned about the health effects of toxic chemicals in synthetic turf, the environmental impact of plastics and the higher cost.