ROME, Ga. — Plans for a new Berry College stadium are changing because of a family of bald eagles.
The school announced Thursday the proposed Valhalla stadium will be relocated out of respect for the eagles nesting site.
Berry's bald eagles have been seen by millions of people across the country on their bald eagle live stream on their website. Two cameras stream video of the parents and their new baby eagle 24 hours a day. The school says it's gotten more than 17 million views and has nearly 60,000 people who keep up with the birds daily on the Berry College Eagles Facebook page. A few weeks ago, the new eaglet flew for the first time.
The school had originally planned to build the stadium closer to its athletic center where there would be convenient parking and a close entrance to the school, but in 2012 the eagles built their nest in a pine tree on the proposed site. This spring, college officials began looking for a new location.
“Everywhere we went, people were in awe of the eagles and grateful that we had set up the streaming video,” said Steve Briggs, Berry’s president. “The eagles are mesmerizing—better than any reality television show. And the truth is—we are entranced by them as well.”
The new site for Valhalla stadium is a pasture to the south of the schools service entrance. Construction is set to begin this fall. The school plans to complete the project by the 2015-2016 school year. The stadium will house the football, lacrosse and track and field programs.