Transformative Construction Underway

Bond Projects Enhance Athletics,Community Pride in Moore Public Schools

By: T.J. Turner

Moore Public Schools is currently undergoing construction at all three of its high school campuses, generating excitement for the future. The Southmoore and Westmoore programs are particularly buzzing with anticipation, as both schools are in the process of constructing their own stadiums on their respective campuses.

This development means several sports teams will no longer have to travel across town for home games. The Jaguars are building their new home stadium from scratch while the Sabercats already have one of their own to improve on, noted Brian Fitzgerald, district athletic director.

Fitzgerald expressed confidence that construction will finish on time at both locations, but he acknowledged that Oklahoma weather, especially in the spring, could potentially hinder operations.

“We are planning for the stadiums to be ready for the start of the football season,” Fitzgerald confirmed. “We do have an alternate schedule ready in case something does happen, or we have a very wet spring.”

In addition to the football stadium, both schools are also getting an indoor practice facility. In fact, all three high schools are building identical indoor practice facilities. Southmoore’s project is the furthest along and is expected to be completed this summer. Moore should have its indoor practice facility completed by the end of summer or early fall. Westmoore, however, had to wait until their new softball complex was completed before beginning construction on their indoor facility which Fitzgerald expects to be completed just before the 2025 school year.

“The indoor facility at Westmoore is just now getting the dirt work started,” Fitzgerald explained. “We had to wait because it is going where the old softball complex was.”

These indoor practice facilities will offer student-athletes an expansive, turfed area with field lines for multiple sports, including football, soccer, softball and baseball. There will also be a large area for a weight room.

“You see it in drawings and renderings, but don’t really realize the scale and breadth of it until you go out there,” said Fitzgerald. “It looks like an aircraft hangar out there on our campuses.”

Westmoore recently completed its brand-new softball complex complete with a new turf field, locker rooms and indoor and outdoor hitting facilities.

Moore High also has several renovations underway, including an upgrade to their softball locker room to add space, renovations to the turf on their practice field, as well as renovations and customizations to Moore Stadium.

These renovations, except for those to Moore Stadium, have been made possible by voters living within the district’s attendance boundaries. Voters passed a recent bond issue in May of 2021 to fund safety and security upgrades, classroom additions, college and career centers as well as several athletic facility upgrades.

“The support makes you excited and proud of the community,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s great that the kids, coaches and everyone get to enjoy the nice facilities and everything that comes with it.”