VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s agreement with the city to use Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for football games just got pricier for the college.

The new contract for the fall semester, approved by the Valdosta Board of Education May 23, raises VSU’s fee from $4,000 per game to $5,500.

The contract gives VSU permission to use the stadium for four game days (all Saturdays) in the fall, bringing the total rental fee to $22,000.

Bob Jones, finance director for Valdosta City Schools, said the price hike was needed to cover the cost of setting up and cleaning up the stadium, which is the city school system’s responsibility.

The change in price is not an attempt to make money, Jones said, but rather to bring the fee closer to what it actually costs to prepare the stadium before each game and to tidy it up after the final touchdown.

The cleanup process includes not just the actual field and bleachers but the concession stands and parking lots, he said.

The contract also states VSU has the option to bring on a stadium manager and assistant at the rate of $540 per game.

And if VSU wants use the stadium for something other than the four designated games, it’ll have to pay $500 for each additional use.

Here are the dates of the four football games VSU will play in Bazemore-Hyder this fall:

— North Alabama, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

— Mississippi College, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

— Florida Tech, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

— West Alabama, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m.