MORGAN -- All amenities as originally planned for the Trojan Century Center can be constructed now, thanks to a last-minute $100,000 anonymous donation.
The donation through the Morgan Education Foundation for Morgan High School's new physical education facility came from a Morgan County family "who strongly supports the concept and completion of the center," according to documents supplied by Superintendent Ken Adams.
"It's huge," Adams said. "Hats off to them. When we began the project, we didn't think we could do it. It's been a challenge to keep soliciting funds to get it done."
The donation brings the total amount of funds raised by the foundation to more than $500,000 for the center. The foundation gained its tax- exempt designation in 2007 and began a capital campaign for the facility less than a year ago.
"It is a statement of community and community support," said school board member Bruce Galbraith.
The donations will reduce the need to dip into the district's "pay as you go" fund, money set aside each year to fund major capital expenses. Money from a recent land deal with Morgan County also will go toward construction of the facility.
The donations will make it possible to complete a mezzanine with an elevator, offices, ticket booth, concessions area, team room, stadium storage room and signage for the Trojan Century Center.
The foundation's original goal was $400,000, a figure that was reached in July.
Although the district secured $4 million in low-interest bonds supported by the Federal Qualified School Construction Bond in 2010 for construction of both a high school physical education facility and district bus garage, it wasn't quite enough for everything on the district's wish list.
The bonds carry an interest rate of less than 1.5 percent.
The 46,000-square-foot Trojan Century Center is slated for completion in January and will include an artificial turf practice field, baseball batting cages, surfaced indoor track, basketball courts, tennis courts and volleyball standards.
The district is also constructing a 5,800-square-foot bus garage at the same time as the physical education facility.
The district hopes to fund the addition of three sides to its bus canopies as well as the painting of the exposed ceiling in the future, but funds still are about $32,000 short.
District officials aim to use 2012-13 capital funds to complete those projects.
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