Let the games begin.

With a little more than a week to spare, Gaffney High officials were given the green light by the state's Office of School Facilities to host events at the school's new football stadium.

Inspectors began looking through every nook and cranny of the 8,000-seat facility at 9 a.m. Thursday. It took them about two hours to give the structure their stamp of approval and a conditional Certificate of Occupancy.

"Things went very well," Southern Management senior project manager Jim Britton said. "Everything was according to plan and we are definitely pleased."

The new stadium is scheduled to host a jamboree Aug. 22. With the stamp of approval given from officials on the state level, Gaffney High athletic director and head football coach Phil Strickland can now sleep a bit easier.

"We cut it close, but I'm glad things are almost done," he said. "The stadium looks good and I think it's something the community can be proud of."

Included in the $8.4 million project are a 4-story press box, a team meeting room, a tunnel, halftime houses and concession stands.

Also included is a bus parking area and end zone bleacher seats for 250 band members.

Britton credited contractors and local safety officials with making the job of inspectors much easier than expected.

"We were actually expecting to be at the stadium for at least four hours," Britton said. "Work done by the contractor and help by (Gaffney) Fire Chief Nathan Ellis enabled us to move quickly through things."

Inspectors recommended that additional emergency exit lighting be installed at various locations around the new athletic facility.

However, with the exception of what Britton terms as "aesthetic items" to be finished on the structure, all is well.

"It would have been a showstopper if the stadium didn't pass this inspection," Britton said. "I'm glad that everything went well."