Have a look inside the new Fayetteville High School facilities

A new competition arena is part of a nearly 30,000-square-foot athletic facility addition at Fayetteville High School which includes new gyms, locker rooms, weight and fitness areas, coaches offices and seating for 2,200 people.

Photos by Eric Chitwood

Fayetteville High School students returned to class today with a major addition to the school.

After over a year of construction, phase one of the transformation of the school is ready for use. The $36 million project added about 190,000 square feet, and is paid through $45 million in low-interest bonds secured by an annual $2.5 million payment from the district.

Additions include an 850-seat performing arts center which holds nearly three times as many people as the old auditorium; a 2,200-seat sports arena with two practice gyms and locker rooms; and classrooms for drama, band, orchestra and choir.

Also included is a student commons are that seats 600 students, twice as many as the old cafeteria. Pieces of the former gymnasium floor, including the school’s bulldog mascot, now hang on a wall inside the commons area.

School officials on Thursday led a tour of the additions and we grabbed some photos of the new facilities. Enjoy.