MOUNT VERNON — When the old Mount Vernon Academy gymnasium went to auction, Isaac White knew it would be a worthwhile purchase. By the time he held a grand opening Friday for the Pavilion Sports and Event Complex, White was like a proud father, showing off every inch of the newly turfed floor in the facility.
“Hopefully, this is something that will help kids get to the next level,” White said as he stood in front of the netting sectioning off the turf field from the rest of the facility. “Sometimes what kids need is a space where they’re driven to practice more or have the opportunity to practice more so they get to the next level. If we provide that and we create that in Mount Vernon and bring other people into Mount Vernon – that’s good for Mount Vernon and that’s good for the local people here as well.”
It took three weeks and a lot of work, but the complex transitioned from a three-basketball-courts-wide space into a turf-and-net-covered field for off-season sports such as baseball, softball, and soccer. The facility now boasts two 80-by-80 foot infields and will soon have four 14-by-70 foot batting cages installed.
Once those sports kick into gear in the spring, White and his crew will transition the cavernous room back into hardwood courts for basketball and volleyball.
“I was sort of fortunate when I showed up at the auction that day that this was a worthwhile purchase. I knew what this could be for the community,” White remembered.
White had first-hand knowledge of the benefits this particular facility has on young athletes. He was a Division I athlete in college and spent time in that gymnasium working on his volleyball skills as a teenager. White saw the potential for sports in the building, but it wasn’t until he and his crew dug into market research that he finally found the answer: a turf facility.
“Nobody had any (turf) facilities,” White explained. “Everyone was having to travel to Columbus in order to utilize (those facilities). We saw we had a market from about Mansfield down to Newark that is a good-size market to draw people into using this facility. The size of it and everything just lined up really well to make it a great practice facility for that.”
Since the turf has been laid, the Pavilion has hosted Tuesday flag football events. It is also preparing to install batting cages and a section for golfers to practice their swings.
“It’s pretty cool to have an indoor facility to do that sort of thing,” White said. “I think that the facility really speaks for itself. It’s just getting people to show up and see it.”
Plenty of people turned out for the grand opening, including Carol Grubaugh, Executive Director of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce.
“We have been watching the transformation of the new Pavilion,” Grubaugh said. “It’s a wonderful asset to the entire county and beyond. My wheels are already turning about things that we could utilize your facility for.”
White was onboard for organizations using the Pavilion for their events.
“We sort of started a phase one of recreating this campus and turning it into something that can be utilized. There are some really great facilities here that, with time, I think we’ll be able to get them where they need to be and be a huge asset. We’re excited,” White said.
The Pavilion Sports and Event Complex will be holding an open house on Dec. 2 from 4-7 p.m.
The Pavilion Sports and Event Complex is located at 741 Fairgrounds Rd., Mount Vernon. Practice times and events can be scheduled by calling 740-485-7034.
