This is how Nixa High’s multifunctional indoor facility is used

In a vast field southeast of Nixa High School, construction fences stand and heavy machinery is moved into place.

Teams are preparing for construction of a massive athletics and activity center.

“Hopefully we can make some ground in the next week or two,” said Brandon Clark, activities director at Nixa High School. “They’re doing some preparations and we’re going to get started on that very quickly.”

The 105,000-square-foot multi-purpose indoor complex was part of the $47 million bond issue approved by voters in April 2023.

Facilities like the one planned in Nixa are extremely rare at the high school level, especially in Missouri. In addition, indoor activity centers built or planned in the region typically have much smaller fields.

The one in Nixa will be “football field size.”

“People don’t realize how big this space is going to be,” said Kevin Kopp, assistant superintendent of elementary education and district operations. “We can have multiple groups in there at the same time, not just one activity or group.”

The multi-purpose facility will include a community room, locker rooms and concession areas. It will be used as a practice field for sports teams, the marching band, intermural clubs and other student groups.

The project is the first major development on a 38-acre parcel adjacent to the high school, with plans to eventually add baseball, softball and other practice fields.

“Not only do we have 120 yards of turf, but we also have a mezzanine with some flexible space,” Kopp said. “There will be two classrooms there, more locker rooms and … flexible space the size of a basketball gym.”

The project is expected to be completed next summer, in time for the 2025-2026 school year.

A survey last fall found that 77% of parents wanted more sports opportunities for their children and 85% wanted more club and activity options.

Superintendent Gearl Loden said the district didn’t have enough space to expand offerings and add options, so the facility was needed.

The district set aside “up to $20 million” for the project, but the expected cost was lower, at $16.8 million.

“Our bids came in at a very good price,” Loden said. “We were able to do everything we wanted to do.”

According to Loden, the district is still looking at the possibilities of using the new space.

“You could have simulators for your golf team. You could have pitching cages for softball, baseball,” he said, adding that it would also be a good space for archery.

Ultimately, the district wants to host local, regional and national competitions and open the facility to the community.

There will be space for meetings, sports and activity gatherings, community events and classes open to the public through the One Nixa program.

Anyone from Nixa or the surrounding area can enroll in a wide variety of classes through the community outreach program. Upcoming options include knitting, origami, meal planning, cookie decorating, and tips for parents, young drivers, and families looking to build their credit history.

Clark said there will also be a walking trail.

“The main level surface is grass, but there will also be a walking path on the outer edge, which is ideal not only for physical education but also for community use,” he said.

Clark said scheduling practice times is a challenge, especially in the fall when so many sports compete for space. The facility found this year will make it easier.

“Sometimes people mistakenly think that this is a sports facility, when it absolutely is not,” he said.

More: Nixa Public Schools outperforms regional peers and most of Missouri in annual report

He said it will be used regularly by the marching band, the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and even art and theater classes.

“As our school district grows, we’re reaching the point where we want to maximize the number of kids, especially in high school, who can participate in sports and activities,” he said.

The district is offering more non-traditional intercultural clubs to engage students.

“We started with pickleball and it went really well. Next year we’re going to do things like Frisbee golf and cornhole,” Clark said. “Having a facility like this allows us to expand our inpatient program and get more kids involved. … It gives us more room to expand access.”

More: Nixa High School will restrict student use of cell phones in classrooms starting this fall

Craig Finger, director of the bands, said the stadium is the only space large enough for the 235-member marching band to practice.

“The stadium is great and our band room is great, but obviously we can’t march in our band room,” Finger said. “The hindrance we have is the weather.”

Finger said the district has protections against heat-related illness, meaning outdoor exercise is not an option when temperatures exceed certain levels.

“Sometimes we just can’t get out on the field. We try to plan around the warm parts of the day,” he said. “But if we’re forced to stay inside, we can have some music, but not the show. And then of course rain.”

He said the access to the indoor space will be a huge change as some of the competitions and performances take place in domed buildings each year.

“When you perform inside a dome, the listening environment is completely different than when you perform outside, so you have to rehearse differently,” he says.

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This is how Nixa High’s multifunctional indoor facility is used

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