Rend Lake College holds groundbreaking on the Banterra Sports Complex

INA, Ill. (KFVS) – Rend Lake College has broken ground on the new Banterra Sports Complex.

At around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, the groundbreaking was held at the west side of the James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium.

According to a release from the college, renovations of the complex will include approximately 5,688 square feet of additional space for a new entryway/lobby, concessions, training room, and new restrooms.

The existing 32,000 square feet will be renovated to include new digital scoreboards, scorers’ benches, locker rooms, office space, and more. The cost of the renovations and additions totals approximately $6.5M.

President and CEO of Banterra Bank, Jeff May, says that the partnership between Rend Lake College and Banterra Bank for this facility is about serving, enhancing, and growing the community.

“If you look at the history of Rend Lake College and what it has done for our area, it is important that we continue to make the college a bigger and more important part of our community,” says May. “We know Rend Lake College enrolls students in our [Banterra Bank] footprint and we want to support programs that recognize them and any enhancement to their campus experience.”

According to the college, the Banterra Sports Complex at Rend Lake College will include the existing Waugh Gymnasium as well as new additions to the space. Waugh Gymnasium is one of the original buildings on the college’s campus and in 1995 was named after Waugh, a longtime coach and educator with nearly 50 combined athletic seasons to his credit when he retired.

In addition to the gym, it includes athletic offices and locker rooms.

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