TIFTON, Ga. — The Tift County Board of Education approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) package in the amount of $9,798,080.00 for the renovation and expansion of athletic facilities at Tift County High School during its June 11, 2026, board meeting.
Superintendent Natalie Gore explained, “The 7-0 vote of the Board in favor of enhancing and expanding our athletic facilities demonstrates the entire Board’s commitment to ensuring our students are afforded opportunities on par with other south Georgia systems within our area and within our GHSA Region.”
Representatives from Parrish Construction presented the GMP package to the Board and shared details regarding the competitive bidding process for the project. According to Parrish Construction, the project generated significant interest from contractors, resulting in 144 bids submitted across 32 bid packages.
As part of the presentation, Parrish Construction highlighted the number of bids received from local companies and the number of contracts awarded to local businesses. Supporting local participation in district construction projects has been identified as a priority by the Tift County Board of Education, and district leaders were pleased to see strong involvement from businesses within the community.
Renovations to the existing field house will begin at the conclusion of the fall sports season in 2026, and construction of the new athletics addition is scheduled to begin in early Fall of 2026.
The project is designed to enhance facilities for Tift County High School students by renovating one of the existing field house buildings and adding another athletic facility that will increase available weight room and training spaces for athletes. In addition to the renovation and construction of the athletic facilities, the project includes expansion of parking areas to provide additional spaces beyond the student parking lot for use during athletic events and activities. The improvements will increase access to strength and conditioning resources for student-athletes while also providing greater opportunities for students enrolled in physical education courses, supporting the overall health, wellness, and development of all students.
"The improvements to our field house and weight room facilities will have a tremendous impact on students across Tift County High School," said Athletic Director, Chris Martin. "Currently, all TCHS students share a single weight room facility. This project will significantly expand access to strength and conditioning opportunities, not only for our student-athletes but also for students participating in physical education classes. A modern, well-equipped facility allows more students to train safely and effectively while supporting overall health, wellness, and physical development. We are grateful to the Board of Education and our community for investing in facilities that will benefit generations of Blue Devils athletes to come."
The field house project is being funded through ESPLOST VI and represents another step in the district's ongoing efforts to improve facilities across Tift County Schools. Once completed, the renovated and expanded facility will provide enhanced weight room, training facilities, locker rooms, large group meeting spaces, expanded parking, and support spaces for Blue Devil student-athletes and coaches.
Additional updates on the project will be shared as construction progresses.
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