A major addition to the main gym facility at Barton Community College is needed, according to a report presented Tuesday to the BCC Board of Trustees. A capital fundraising campaign to update Barton’s sports facilities could be in the works.
Suggested improvements could cost nearly $16.9 million during the first of two suggested phases, according to the report. If so, private funding would be sought. However, the report is only a preliminary look at what the athletic programs could use, and why improvements are needed.
For the past few months, college trustees have wrapped up their monthly study sessions with tours of facilities on campus. This week they visited the Technical Building and the Science Building.
Previously they toured the Kirkman Center and on Tuesday Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman talked about “items identified for transformation of facilities.”
“The buildings are 53 years in age,” Heilman said. Meanwhile, the sports programs have expanded. Barton started with six athletic programs and that number has more than tripled.
“We recognize also that costs continue to climb,” Heilman said. “We’ve identified a first phase and a second phase. If the trustees want to go in a different direction it can go more quickly, or not at all.”
Board Chairman Mike Johnson said he anticipates Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs will “put on his fundraising hat” in the near future as private donations are sought for improvements. But nothing is set in stone, he added. “I think the needs are definitely there. We have to balance those needs with the rest of the campus.”
“There’s been a lot of homework put into this,” Rolfs said. He’s also looked at what other colleges in the athletic conference are doing. “This all started at least a year and a half before COVID hit. It’s been a long time coming for me.”
A growing athletic program
According to the report:
“Barton County Community College started competing in athletics in 1969. At that time, utilization of facilities in cooperation with the city of Great Bend and USD 428 was a necessity. Six different programs donned the Cougar uniform at the onset of athletic programming. Over the past 53 years, many things have changed, and the athletic department has grown exponentially on this campus.
“Barton now sponsors 22 different sports programs comprised of over 370 student-athletes, while also supporting a student athletic training staff and student managerial staff, taking the total number of students connected to Barton athletic programming to well over 400 students annually.”
The report notes that a number of improvements have been made over the years. But, there have not been any structural additions to the original main Gym structure since 1995, when the Kirkman Student Activity Center was established.
“Growth is a good thing for higher education entities and its sponsorship of athletics programming, especially as it relates to enrollment, the backbone of any higher learning institution’s success as a whole. As the number of athletic programs at Barton has grown, so too has the need for facility enhancements.”
Facility additions and changes would positively impact every program within Barton Athletics, the report continues. These could include:
New Construction
• Major addition to the south of main gym facility that would encompass rectification of current facility shortfalls including, but not limited to, a new strength training facility, cardio fitness facility, wrestling room, cheer and dance practice space, eSports facility, Hall of Fame room, trophy cases, classrooms, locker rooms, offices and storage space.
• Addition of three Tennis Courts (to make six total).
• Locker Rooms, Press Box and Restrooms at the Track/Soccer Complex (Phase 2 of 2010 project).
• Press Box at the Softball Complex.
• Storage Shed/Lookout Building at the Golf Driving Range.
With the new additions, current facilities would be transformed for other uses. For example, the current Cougar Den would become the Swim Coach Offices.
Preliminary estimates show Phase I could cost $16.9 million. A second phase could include a potential new arena/gymnasium.
Financial resources
Private funding could drive the project, starting with a capital fundraising campaign. Financing could be done through Certificates of Participation (COPs). This type of financing has been used for other building projects. Investors purchase shares of the lease revenues of a program, rather than the bonds being secured by those revenues. COPs, therefore, are secured by lease revenues.
As a last resort, the report notes, the college’s reserve funds could be accessed as a financial resource.
