Venice (Fla.) posts updated images of $12-million football stadium

When Venice (Fla.) High School unveils its renovated digs at Powell Davis Stadium, locals will see the finished product of a $12-million venue. Coming off winning Florida’s FHSAA Class 7A state title last fall, it looks fit for one of the top high school football programs in the Southeast.

The Indians released updated images via social media of the nearly finished stadium that has been worked on since the 2024 season ended. Venice released just a few aerial photos of the renovated venue that will host its first game in the preseason kickoff classic when they welcome Class 2A state runnerup Gadsden County on Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Venice was the last public high school in Sarasota County to have yet seen a facelift when it came to its playing surfaces. All other schools in the county, which include North Port, Sarasota, Sarasota Booker and Sarasota Riverview, already had artificial turf fields in place before Venice had theirs installed.

The stadium overhaul for the Indians will increase the seating capacity from just over 4,200 closer to 5,000 patrons able to catch at game at Powell Davis Stadium. When the renovations began on the $12-million project, Venice was in the process of adding a fourth state championship under its belt.

“This is something that’s well overdue,” Venice athletic director Larry Shannon said back in a November report by Venice Gondolier’s Evan Lepak. “These renovations are going to provide a top-notch facility for all of our athletes. A lot of the facilities, especially at Powell-Davis Stadium, are outdated and old. This project will allow us to have a stadium that matches up to our athletic programs and campus. We’re very excited about the outcome of what everything’s going to look like after construction.”

Powell Davis Stadium, named after the school’s first principal and one of the program’s legendary head football coaches, will be seeing plenty of visitors this fall. Venice’s 2025 regular season schedule includes seven home games this fall.

Among the seven teams that will be visiting Venice in the fall are IMG Academy’s national team, Clearwater Central Catholic, The First Academy and neighboring Port Charlotte.

The Indians only three away games are against Tampa Bay Tech, Miami Northwestern and Sarasota.

VENICE INDIANS 2025 SCHEDULE

Aug. 15 – Gadsden County (preseason kickoff classic)

Aug. 22 – at Tampa Bay Tech 

Aug. 29 – at Miami Northwestern 

Sep. 5 – Bishop Verot 

Sep. 12 – Port Charlotte 

Sep. 19 – Orlando The First Academy

Sep. 26 – Lehigh 

Oct. 3 – IMG Academy National

Oct. 10 – Sarasota Riverview 

Oct. 17 – Clearwater Central Catholic 

Oct. 24 – at Sarasota