The Joliet City Council on Tuesday approved plans for Joliet Catholic Academy to begin construction for a football stadium and other facilities to expand the school’s campus.

The vote was 6-3 in favor.

The stadium, which will be the first on-campus playing field for one of Illinois’ legendary high school football programs, has been the main attraction but only one part of the JCA plan.

JCA this year plans to add a new field turf, which will provide a practice area for the football team and a playing field for the soccer team, along with new tennis courts and parking lots.

The stadium, which will include seating areas for football games, will be built once the school has raised funding for the project.

The plan faced some opposition from residents in the neighborhood bordering JCA.

The school is located at the corner of Larkin and Ingalls avenues. Larkin is largely a commercial street, but Ingalls cuts through residential neighborhoods that border the school.

Neighbors during the past year have raised concerns about traffic, noise and other issues likely to be created by football games and whatever events will be held at the stadium.

JCA officials have said the stadium is needed for the future of the school, saying it was the only high school football program without a home field turf on campus.

The field turf will be laid this year, school officials have said. The stadium will be built around it as money is raised for the project.

Initially, JCA is likely to continue playing home football games at Memorial Stadium, the Jefferson Street facility that is owned by the Joliet Park District and has provided the home playing field for JCA football for decades.

The stadium and other sports facilities will be built on land formely occupied by the Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, which closed in early 2023 and was located on the edge of the JCA campus.

This is a developing story. Check for updates.