Barry Britnell, a member on the board of directors at Athens Bible School, speaks in the Rollings-Lovell Auditorium with an update on the outdoor sports complex coming to Athens Bible in 2022.

When Athens Bible School opened their new facility back in the fall of 2019, it didn’t come with an athletics complex. Since that time, however, they have received several donations in an attempt to put a four-field baseball and softball complex on campus.

On Sunday night, in the Rollings-Lovell Auditorium, Barry Britnell of the ABS Board of Directors provided an update on the outdoor sports complex now scheduled to be completed by spring 2022.

“Sports are very important here at Athens Bible School, and we want to provide the best facilities possible,” Britnell said. “Thankfully, that’s why we’re here.”

There will be three phases to the outdoor sports complex. Phase One will include plans, permits, drawings, top soil, fill dirt, erosion control and a storm drain in what Britnell calls “all the foundation that needs to take place.”

That foundation will include base paint for the track, tennis courts, and sidewalks as well

as completing the baseball and softball fields.

The estimated total cost to complete phase one is $1.227 million dollars. Britnell said board chairman Lynn Persell donated fill dirt to knock about $200,000 off the estimate.

Through donations and fundraising efforts, only $827,000 is still need to cover Phase One.

Phase Two of the project will include dugouts, concession stands, the press box and fencing around the tennis courts, softball and baseball fields. The cost for Phase Two is estimated at $225,000.

Phase Three is the lighting, at an estimated cost of at least $750,000.

“What we would like to do is tackle Phase One and Two to get these kids out there as soon as possible,” Britnell said. “As soon as that happens, we’ll begin Phase Three.”

Britnell admits the timeline is a bit tricky, but he is hopeful and the expectation is for the student-athletes to be playing on campus by next spring.

“We would love to have the baseball, softball and tennis teams playing on the outdoor sports complex by 2022,” Britnell said. “They start practicing in January, so our goal is to have these in place by Jan. 1, 2022.”

Construction is tentatively set to begin by July 1. Donations and fundraising will remain ongoing in hopes to have all the money in hand by Oct. 1.