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School board members broke ground Tuesday on a new 41,000 square-ft. performing arts center on the campus of White County High School. From left are Linda Erbele, vice-chairman Charlie Thomas, Superintendent Dr. Laurie Burkett, chairman Missy Jarrard and Jon Estes.
Officials broke ground Tuesday on a new performing arts center for the White County School District that will double the seating capacity of the current facility.
When completed sometime next year, the 41,000 square-foot single-story building, located at the former site of the baseball field on the campus of White County High School, will contain a 700-seat performing arts theater, along with choral, band and drama suites with supporting and administrative spaces.
The construction costs, estimated in excess of $10 million, are being paid from the proceeds of a Education Special Local Option Sales Tax that was approved by voters.
“This is super exciting,” said Superintendent Laurie Burkett at Tuesday's groundbreaking. “None of this happens without our community supporting our ESPLOST referendum.”
“White County has nothing like this,” school board vice-chairman Charlie Thomas said in a story published in the White County News earlier this year. “We've never had a facility like this. It's going to seat around 700 to 750. There's no place in this county to have that kind of gathering together. My vision of this facility, it's not just for the school, it's for the entire community. I can see concerts happening here, movie nights, meetings. I just think there's a lot of things that will greatly enhance this community.”
Burkett praised the resolve of school board members, who continued to support the project in times of economic uncertainty.
“This was a time when things were a little scary, when your numbers creep up for different reasons,” Burkett said. “At any point, we could have said nope, but we didn't.”
Burkett also thanked the planning committee members who contributed their time and expertise to planning for the new facility.
“I'm grateful to live in a place where lots of people care a whole lot,” she said.
The new performing arts building is just one of several construction and improvement projects underway throughout the school district.
In the past year, the school board purchased nearly 15 acres of land adjacent to the high school that will be used for baseball and softball fields and other enhancements.
Charles Black Construction is the builder for the performing arts center project. Architecture work is being done by Breaux and Associates.