Hurricane Harvey destroyed a large part of the Coastal Bend, including one of the gymnasiums at Rockport-Fulton High School.
Shortly after the hurricane, Rockport-Fulton H.S. was featured on Ellen, as Degeneres and Lowe’s contributed $1 million to the construction of the new competition gym.
It has been five months since ground broke on the construction.
Director of Operation Services, Norman Spears, says that the gym will features and amenities that other gyms in the area will not. Certain features like an area for people to eat from concession stands and watch the game through a glass window.
The gym is about 12,000 sq ft and over 30 feet tall, which is larger than the current gym on campus. It will also have motorized back boards and bleachers.
Spears says the community will be “wowed” when entering the new gym, and hopes it will lead to bigger events such as volleyball tournaments.
The total cost of the gym will be $4.5 million, but Spears says he hopes to come under budget. There will be a plaque commemorating Ellen Degeneres and Lowe’s inside the gym to honor the $1 million donated.
The RFHS Competition Gym is set to be complete by October.
