Pea Bowl sold

The 50-year-old Pea Ridge football stadium, also known as the Pea Bowl, is under contract and is to be sold the Monday after the 25th anniversary Mule Jump is held there.

Todd Crowder said he bought Pea Ridge stadium from the Pea Ridge School District. A new football stadium was built this year and all football games are held there now.

“It’s such an intriguing, interesting piece of property. It’s got the history of Pea Ridge,” he said, adding that the six acres in the middle of town with utilities is unique. “The way it’s situated, there’s tons of possibilities.”

Crowder, who grew up in Bentonville, married Lisa Webb, a Pea Ridge native.

“It’s got tons of possibilities,” Crowder said of the stadium. A football coach for the sixth-grade football Blackhawks, Crowder’s son has another year of Pee Wee football. The fourth- through sixth-grade football teams practice at the old stadium, although their games are held in the new stadium.

“I’ve coached with all these guys so long; it would be a shame to abandon this field; we’re (he and his wife) double checking about liability and maintenance,” Crowder said.

“It’s not every day you get to buy a piece of history!”

Crowder said there was a lot of interest in the stadium. He said that he doesn’t have plans right now except to continue to practice Pee Wee football there.

At the Sept. 23 Pea Ridge School Board meeting, board members approved Rick Neal, superintendent, listing the property with realtor Dave Montgomery, who initially listed the property for $40,000.

“It’s closing a chapter for the school. We’re moving on. It’s always sad to see it closed; it’s a liability where it’s located,” Rick Neal, school superintendent said. “We’re excited for the new owners.”