The vision of San Benito CISD is to be the gold standard in all areas of public education.This vision holds true in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, facilities, and many other areas.
On November 6, 2018, San Benito voters approved a $40 million bond proposal to enrich the educational experience of current and future students withthree new facilities –an indoor multipurpose athletic facility, an aquatic center, and a performing arts center.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2019 for the first of the three major bond-related building projects–the indoor multipurpose facility, located on the grounds of San Benito High School and behind the Bobby Morrow Stadium scoreboard.
Today, construction is near completion, and a ribbon cutting ceremony is in the foreseeable future.
“What was once a vision for progress is now coming to fruition for our students.It has not been a perfect scenario, but we have worked hard to make sure that our students have the facility that they need and what our community voted for,” said Orlando López, San Benito CISD Board President.
The indoor facility measures 65,466 square feet and will feature an inviting front lobby. Moreover, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley.
The facility also features a 90-yard artificial turf practice field including markings for football end zones and soccer, batting cages,netting that suspends from the ceiling for baseball and softball, and 10 mechanical rollup doors. There is also a spacious weight and conditioning room that will benefit student athletes.
The front portion of the facility encompasses 5,500 square feet and includes the lobby, an office, a storage room, bathrooms, a mechanical room, a Sports Medicine training room, and multiple wall trophy cases.
“That facility is going to serve its purpose in all different types of ways for the school district,” said Greyhounds Athletic Director/Football Coach Dan Gomez
“The field helps with practices from football to soccer, baseball, softball, and it’s there for the band use as well so they can practice the marching aspect of their program,” continued Gomez.
In spite of the CCOVID-19 pandemic and periodic bouts of inclement weather that either slowed or delayed construction, the facility will soon be complete and available for use.
“We’re excited for the opportunity that these facilities are going to give future generations of San Benito students. They’ve never had anything like this in the past. They’re going to be high quality, wonderful venues for our students to be able to display their great talents in,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nate Carman.
“Our students are important, and investing in their education must always be a top priority. As stewards of the district’s resources, our Trustees and district administrators must continue to build on every avenue of opportunity in order to see all students succeed,” said parent Pablo Reyes, Jr.
