Alcoa City Schools selected the joint venture team of Fletcher Architects Inc. and Richard Stache & Associates to plan and design their new high school gymnasium and new middle school. The new facilities replaced buildings over 40 years old. The gym and school were the first building projects undertaken by Alcoa Schools since the 1960's.

Phase I included programming the 2,000 seat gymnasium. The building includes spaces for the varsity sports of basketball, track, baseball and soccer in addition to the usual high school physical education facilities. The 40,000 square foot, two level building nestles into the hillside adjacent to the existing high school, minimizing the bulk of the structure. A rotunda entry recalls the tradition of the existing high school gymnasium.

Main entry is on the second level into a semicircular lobby containing concessions and toilets. The lobby is sized to use for various types public gatherings. It has been used successfully many times for events such as award ceremonies. This level contains approximately one-third of the public seating. With the bleachers folded, this level has a full size practice basketball court at one end. A baseball batting practice area is available at the opposite end of the building, also behind the folded bleachers.

The lower floor contains the main ball court and main bleacher sections. A unique feature of the design provides two practice courts side-by-side and parallel to the main play court, rather than perpendicular to it. The home team enters the court through the center of the bleachers. Of course, the court floor is lined for volleyball also. This floor contains varsity ball dressing rooms for men and women, physical education rooms and large public toilets.

Capable of seating the entire student body and their families, the gymnasium will be used for high school graduation.

The gymnasium was constructed using the construction management method with H+M Construction. Budgeted at $4,000,000, the construction estimate was $4,151,986.00. After minor value engineering with the construction manager, work was completed at a cost of approximately $3,800,000.