September/October 2020 - 14

a new hardwood court, and the final bill totaled $1.7
million - which was covered by insurance. The previous
hardwood floor is now adorned on the concourse walls as
art for incoming spectators. The compromise allowed the
Bearcats to have a new-gym feel while still keeping the
charm of the 91-year-old fieldhouse.
The Muncie Fieldhouse, which seats approximately
7,000 fans, has served the community in many capacities
since its inception. The facility has been home to circuses,
boxing matches, dog shows, sale of war bonds by Abbott
and Costello, Harlem Globetrotter basketball, a Billy
Graham Crusade, and concerts featuring legends from a
wide variety of musical genres including Neil Diamond,
Roy Rogers, and The Supremes.
Tupelo (MS) High School
Much like in Muncie, the Tupelo High School underwent
a two-year construction process with its brand-new
gymnasium - beginning in November 2017 and opened
for the 2019-20 basketball season.
The $6.6 million facility will serve multiple uses aside
from hosting athletic competitions. Able to seat 2,140
people and doubles as a storm shelter, the gymnasium can
accommodate even more with the use of the open floor in
the event of an emergency.
" There have been several tornadoes in this area, and
having the largest population of students in the state
(1,940), that was one thing we were looking at - the safety
of the kids, " Tupelo Public School District director of
operations Charles Laney told the Daily Journal.
The previous gym featured a full-length basketball court
and half of a court, but in the reconstruction process, the
halfcourt was turned into a weight room and football locker
room. Additional office space for the athletic director as well
as meeting rooms were added on to the structure.
Bishop Heelan (IA) Catholic High School
The administrators of Bishop Heelan Catholic High
School in Sioux City, Iowa also opted for the multipurpose
route, like Tupelo. With its O'Gorman Fieldhouse unveiled
in December 2019, Bishop Heelan's new gymnasium
that will be utilized for pep assemblies, show choir
competitions, and other events in addition to the expected
wrestling, volleyball, and basketball games.
The new $3.7 million gymnasium, referred to as a
fieldhouse to reflect the non-athletic activities that can
occur, replaced the school's 70-year-old gym, affectionately
known as " The Pit. " Once only able to pack in maybe
1,100 fans, Bishop Heelan can comfortably seat roughly
1,600 people. To eliminate that claustrophobic feeling of
having the stands seemingly directly on top of the court,
the school made O'Gorman a top-loading gym - complete
with a running track and upper-level observation deck
above the court.
In addition to the new hardwood flooring and
observation deck, the new fieldhouse features a state-ofthe-art
video and statistical scoreboard, updated locker
rooms and coaches offices, an athletic training room, and
six hoops (two practice courts and one main court).
" Our beautiful new gym offers amazing features, many
of them firsts for Heelan, including air-conditioning,
state-of-the-art scoreboards, an indoor track, windows
and skylights, extra seating and better visibility, " Bishop
Heelan Catholic Schools President Dr. John Flanery said
in an issued press release. " The old Pit was loved by
many but was one of the oldest in the state and deficient
in many areas. "
14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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September/October 2020

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