Rockcastle County board reviews multipurpose fieldhouse, turf and Rock Building renovation; asks staff to propose bond package

The Rockcastle County Board of Education reviewed designs and cost estimates for a proposed multipurpose fieldhouse and an overhaul of the district's baseball and softball facilities at a special-called meeting. Presenters outlined a pre-engineered fieldhouse, full-turf playing surfaces, new lighting, press boxes and a central shared building between the two fields as part of an option estimated at about $5.6 million; renovating the Rock Building as a district services facility was estimated separately at about $3.25 million if athletic programming is phased to the new complex.

Board members and project presenters said the design aims to centralize dugouts, locker rooms, press boxes and concessions in a single structure that would reduce practice pressure on campus facilities and increase usable days for athletics. The designers showed changes to parking and pedestrian circulation, modern LED sports lighting, potential turf fields, and an optional set of tennis courts estimated at roughly $722,000.

Why it matters: the projects would affect athletics, community programming and construction spending across the county. Speakers emphasized that turf fields could reduce weather cancellations and allow more home games, while board members raised scheduling, operation and funding…