Repair plan in works for landmark Muncie Fieldhouse

Officials are working on a proposal for repairs to the nearly 90-year-old Muncie Fieldhouse, where bleachers are expected to be closed for the high school basketball season over safety concerns.

Muncie schools Superintendent Steven Baule said he hopes to have a renovation proposal ready to present to the school board by the end of October. He told The Star Press of Muncie that funding remains uncertain for repairs at the landmark gymnasium, which he estimates could cost several million dollars.

Inspections found settlement is causing structural problems to the bleachers and some interior walls. The building also needs plumbing and electrical work.

The school board has approved a fund to accept donations toward the repair work, which officials have said the district can't afford on its own.

Built in 1928, the 7,635-seat fieldhouse is the fifth largest high school gym in Indiana and also the fifth largest in the country. It is the home gym for the Muncie Central Bearcats, who won eight state championships in boys basketball from 1928 to 1988.