Breckon Center’s first big event!

“No one who attended the first graduation at our new Breckon Center will ever forget it,” said Rita Weighill, associate vice president of university advancement at Park University in Parkville, Missouri.

The Breckon Center is Park University’s newest addition: an ultra modern sports facility consisting of twin Monolithic Dome gymnasiums, each 130 feet in diameter, flanking a two-story, 3289-square-foot office complex. Designed by MDI’s architect Rick Crandall, work on this project began in 1999 and was completed in 2000.

“Our December commencement was the first time we ever used the domes for a graduation – a truly unforgettable one,” Weighill said. “The domes were new so that in itself was exciting, but then one of the grandparents of our graduates had a heart attack. Fortunately, our security people were able to administer CPR and get his heart going again. That gentleman visited us a few weeks later, in much better condition and very grateful. So, we have some very good memories associated with our Breckon Center.”

The start of a great, new sport facility

Park University has the largest underground campus in the world. Many of its much-used student facilities, such as the library, learning center, bookstore, computer lab and classrooms, were carved from the solid limestone, indigenous to this area. These rooms enjoy a steady, comfortable temperature of 70 to 72 degrees. So, when university officials decided to replace their old, outdated and too-small gymnasium they began looking for structures that would provide some of the same benefits they already enjoyed, such as consistent and comfortable indoor temperatures, structural strength and stability, low maintenance, and affordable construction.

Dr. Paul Rounds, Executive Vice President for Administration, said, “We looked at what I call inflatable domes that were hung by tension wires. These tension wires are temporary and have to be replaced every 15 years. We just couldn’t get comfortable with that. Then our athletic director brought us information on Monolithic Domes.”

Athletic Director Claude English said, “Once we looked into all the features and the longevity of the Monolithic Dome, I don’t think it had any competitors. Then we actually went to some completed school sites and liked what we saw.”

“It all boiled down to this,” Rounds added. “We found that by using the dome approach, we would end up with essentially twice as much space for the same amount of money. We could get two domes — two playing surfaces plus all the features we wanted — for the price of one playing surface.”

Sports are a big thing at Park.

Its men’s and women’s teams compete in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) in basketball, volleyball, soccer and softball.

The teams use the dome with two courts as a Practice Gym. Its twin — the Performance Gym with its 1000 spectator seats — hosts competitions and special events.

Asked how he likes the domes, English said, "Well, I’ll be honest with you. There’s not much at all that I dislike. The actual facility is wonderful. You always look back and think about storage and things of that nature, but the actual facility — the office space, the locker rooms, the gyms — they’re all very good.

“Normally, when you get into a dome situation the acoustics are pretty bad,” English continued. “But in our Performance Gym they’re really good. We put in special acoustical material and we will do that in the Practice Gym too.”

Coaches love having a Practice Gym.

According to English, he and the coaches appreciate the Practice Gym as much or even more than the Performance Gym.

He said, “We now have a facility to practice in. No more cancellations because of bad weather. It’s wonderful because we have terrible winters. It’s been a dream come true. I think we’re all very proud of and excited about the facility. All the coaches are really impressed.”

Those positive impressions extend to visitors as well.

“People look at the two domes and they’re a curiosity that piques their interest,” English said. “But when they get inside, they get really impressed. Almost all the visiting coaches have asked for more information on the domes. The feedback has been very positive.”

The daily routine

As for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the facility, Rusty Nachbar, plant operations and maintenance manager, said, “It’s great. All is going well. We had to go through an adjustment period. At first we got the inside of the domes too cold, then too warm. Now it’s set just right and it’s easy to maintain. The domes are an oddity in this area, but a welcome addition. They give Park a good home court advantage.”

A formal dedication

In February 2001, Park officially dedicated its Breckon Center. English said, “We tried to make sure that all our sports teams were in town for this dedication. So we actually began playing in the domes before the dedication — just couldn’t wait.”

The dedication, held in the Performance Gym, was attended by the mayor of Parkville, Park University’s board members, all of its teams, faculty and staff. Along with companionship, good wishes and good food, attendees looked at photos and memorabilia commemorating Park’s 126-year history. Included in all that reminiscing were fond, happy discussions of that first, unforgettable graduation at their Breckon Center.

Click here to download a PDF with full color photos of the finished school.