The Roosevelt High School gym in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, is set to reopen tonight.
After almost a decade basketball games have been played at the gold gym in Kennedy Secondary.
The last basketball game at the Otter Fieldhouse was in 2010.
The Otter Fieldhouse gym will be at the ready tonight as The Otters face off Perham in tonight’s game, made even more exciting by the fact that the venue for the game has just undergone quite the renovation.
The renovation project included a complete overhaul of the court itself.
The bleachers and seating areas have also been updated, providing a more comfortable and modern experience and more seating for fans.
The gym’s renovations included updates to the bleachers, locker rooms, concession stand, and training room, as well as the installation of wrestling and gymnastics mat harnesses and a history collage.
The Fieldhouse gym floor sanded and repainted giving it a very nostalgic feel. In addition, scoreboards, shot clocks and the sound system were updated.
The Fergus Falls School Athletic Director, Derek Abrahams shared this about the renovations on the Fergus Otters website,
“This type of Fieldhouse is unique and will never be rebuilt anywhere again. Generations of students and fans established a tradition here, and it is important to us as a district and community to preserve that tradition for another generation.”
The Otter Fieldhouse will serve as the permanent home of the Fergus Falls Otter Gymnastics and Wrestling teams and will host selected Otter volleyball and basketball games, prom, assemblies, and other youth, community, and school events.
Athletic Director Abrahams continued, “For almost 70 years, the Roosevelt High School gym has stood witness to the development of our community’s youth. From heart-stopping buzzer-beaters to physical education classes to Grand March to commencement – it has housed countless memories in our community’s history.”
The gym’s restoration was funded through donations from individuals, booster clubs, and businesses.
Superintendent Drake praised the gym’s reopening, saying that it is important to preserve the traditions of the school and community and to create new memories for today’s students.
The gym’s restoration is a testament to the dedication of Fergus Falls’ community members and the school district’s commitment to its students.
The gym’s reopening will be celebrated tonight (March 3rd), when the Fergus Falls Otters will take on Perham Hornets at The Otter Fieldhouse.