Detroit CMA Opens First Football Field in School's 34-Year History
The short version
- CMA High School unveiled its first football field on Sept. 24, 34 years after the school opened in 1992.
- The Pharaohs hosted Detroit Cody in the new venue's first game the same evening.
- DPSCD is spending about $70 million on renovations running from 2025 to fall 2027, with similar fields planned at Henry Ford, Southeastern, Pershing, and Cody.
- Principal Tiffany Cox and Superintendent Nikolai Vitti credited student effort, community backing, and district investment for the project.
Communication and Media Arts High School unveiled its first-ever football field with a ribbon cutting on Sept. 24, and the Pharaohs hosted Detroit Cody that evening.
Communication and Media Arts High School in northwest Detroit marked a milestone on Thursday, Sept. 24, when it held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first football field in the school's 34-year existence. The venue debuted the same evening, with the Pharaohs hosting Detroit Cody in a home game.
Roughly 400 students packed the stands, cheering and dancing as music played over loudspeakers. The crowd also included parents, faculty, alumni, Detroit Public Schools Community District board members, and City Council President James Tate, several of whom addressed those gathered.
Principal Tiffany Cox called the occasion significant. She credited the students' efforts, community support, and leaders who believed the project was possible, adding that the field means a great deal to the school.
CMA opened in 1992 within the Dewey Center for Urban Education, then shifted to the former St. Mary of Redford High School roughly a year later. A third move came in 2020, when the school settled into the Ludington Middle School building. Football arrived at CMA in 2014, and until now the team staged its home games at neutral locations.
Senior cornerback Jahari Andrews, 17, told the audience how much has changed since his freshman year, noting the school now has a field and is set to gain a parking lot and a gym. Sophomore Kayla Sandifer, a 15-year-old track and field athlete, said athletes have had to travel to other fields for years and that running her events at home will be special.
DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said the new facility makes CMA more of a destination for student-athletes, not just academics. With more modern fields appearing across the city, he said students choosing a school will now notice both the building and the field, which could help the district retain athletes who might otherwise leave.
Vitti also outlined the district's broader building plans: approximately $70 million in renovations that started in 2025 and should finish by fall 2027. Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School was the first in the district to receive a new athletic field, and Henry Ford, Southeastern, Pershing, and Cody are scheduled for matching upgrades.
In remarks to students, Vitti said Detroit faces not a talent gap but an opportunity and investment gap. He expressed hope that the investment would motivate students to return to their city and neighborhoods after graduating to create chances for the next generation.
Games to watch
