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The Harlan Independent School District recently accepted bids for a Phase III construction project at Joe Gilley Athletic Complex, marking the facility’s first major renovation since 1979.

An investment of $5,695,000 to construct a new field house, track, and natural turf football field will begin in the coming weeks. The project is scheduled to be completed in June of 2024 and will not impact the current football schedule for Harlan High. At a recent board meeting, architects from Sherman Carter Barnhart were on campus to discuss the project with school administrators and board members.

On the heels of completing a two-year journey in Phase I and Phase II renovation projects that totaled more than $10M in improvements on the Central Street campus, attention has quickly shifted to the athletic areas.

Superintendent C.D. Morton says he is excited to finally see this project happen for the students and families at Harlan Independent.

“Words cannot express how excited I am for this phase of our project,” Morton said. “The impact it will have on our students will be hard to measure, but I think everyone is going to be proud when it is complete. The board and others have worked really hard to finally get this project across the finish line. A new field house complete with a weight room, lockers, and office space will be a breath of fresh air for our football program. Not to mention, a new eight-lane track complete with space for all the field events and a refurbished natural turf field. This project is long overdue, and I expect the impact to be felt by everyone!”

The current football field and track was completed in the fall of 1979, and the existing field house was erected in 1988. During construction, space constraints limited the track development to six lanes. The inside lane encroaches onto the football field area making for less-than-ideal endzone corners for student-athletes.

Morton noted that some of those design shortcomings from the past would be corrected in the new project.

“We have had some very clear goals from the onset of the design phase,” Morton said. “We have a growing group of talented runners and wanted to give them a full eight-lane track to compete on in the future. Additionally, providing all of our field athletes the full complement of events and spaces to compete remained a high priority. The new design will require a slight adjustment to the field so we can incorporate all the field events and get the inside lane of the track off the field. This will make the football playing area much safer. The construction of a dedicated field house will give our football program the space and equipment for our students to excel. The coaches and kids from both programs deserve the very best. Our participation numbers are up, and enrollment continues to climb at a fast pace, so the timing of Phase III is perfect.”

Morton pointed out that building and school construction has historically been heavily regulated in Kentucky. School districts, big and small, are primarily restricted on using construction funds for athletic facilities. Schools must meet the needs of all other instructional areas before addressing any athletic venue when using bonded funds and general fund revenue is often needed to tackle large-scale athletic projects. As a result, it can take many years to accomplish significant investments in areas like the Phase III athletic project.

Head football coach Eric Perry says he is pleased to see the project finally come to fruition and thinks the work will only help strengthen the Green Dragon football program.

“It is going to be easy to get excited about!” Perry said. “A brand-new field house and field will enhance the school experience for our students. This is something that has been talked about for a long time, and it will be a huge boost to our program. Coming off a strong season, we are only looking to get stronger, and this will certainly help. Mr. Morton and the board are to be commended for seeing this project through.”

Board chairman Dr. Matt Nunez noted that he was a football team member that helped build the current locker room. He also commented that he was proud to be a member of the team that will help build the new one.

“Between football and track & field, I spent a lot of time over there in the late 1980s; the improvement we are going to make will result in a significant upgrade and will be something our kids will enjoy for years to come,” said Nunez. “This is a dream come true for many of us on the board. It is really exciting!”

The construction of the new field house will be on the North end of the field where the current practice area is located. At the conclusion of the 2023 football season, the work to install the natural turf along with the new track will begin. Green Construction of Middlesboro will be the general contractor for the project.

“What we do in the classroom will always be the driving force behind our school, but to add this new and improved element to our athletic facilities will really have a positive impact on our students and community,” stated Harlan High School Principal Britt Lawson. “The transformation taking place in our schools is contagious. Having new athletic facilities combined with our academic excellence will have a big impact on our students.”