Georgiana School opens new press box

Published 5:00 pm Saturday, May 20, 2023

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Georgiana School cut the ribbon on its new press box on May 16 in preparation for the 2023-2024 athletic season.

Butler County Schools Superintendent Joseph Eiland said the structure does not replace the existing press box, but allows space to separate home and visitor media representatives.

“We now have a facility that is capable of housing media, officials, spotters, and a home team film crew in a compartmentalized building that is air conditioned and climate controlled,” Eiland said.

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The existing press box will now be used by visiting teams, Eiland added.

“Rather than demolishing the existing press box that is there we were able to move that to the other side so our visiting team can be separate,” Eiland said. “We won’t have a mixed group in the press box at the same time. This adds aesthetically to the field because it is a spectacular box and looks great. This gives our home team fans something to be proud of.”

Planning for the press box began in 2020 and was delayed by COVID-19. Plans resumed in 2021 and the project broke ground in January.

Initially scheduled for completion in February, construction was delayed again until the system received an acceptable bid for the project.

“I recall rejecting two bids, two bid rounds because the first bid came in at over $500,000,” Eiland said. “The next bid was around $380,000.”

Maintenance Director William Love said the final bid was accepted at around $200,000.

“The delay was simply rebidding,” Love said. “The structure is prefabricated. We did the concrete and electrical work. The press box came in on a trailer and set on a frame. Then it was lifted by crane and set into place.”

The school system worked alongside architectural firm McKee and Associates on this project and those for Greenville High School’s new Tiger Stadium and McKenzie School’s gymnasium, slated for completion in September.