Texas University Starts Work on New Recreation Center

Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA) recently announced that construction has begun on a new Student Recreation Center, according to a university news release. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the project in November 2022, and completion is scheduled for spring 2024. The space will measure in at 22,322 square feet.

The Student Recreation Center will include three major spaces: a gym, a weight room, and a set of locker rooms. The gym will feature a regulation-size basketball court and two 84-foot recreational basketball courts overlaid as cross courts, the news release reports. The fitness and weight room will measure in at about 3,400 square feet and 1.5 stories high, and will stand adjacent to the gymnasium.

“Our recreation center will be designed to enhance the student experience, improve recruitment, retention and magnify the brand of the university in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” said Darnell Smith, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports. “As our students pursue their lofty academic goals, we seek to provide an equal opportunity for them to pursue their health and wellness goals with the new facility.”

The Student Recreation Center will serve the campus at large and play home to university programs including strength and conditioning, ROTC drills and exercises, kinesiology classes, convocations, staff council meetings, campus town halls, and more, the news release reports. The university will also host camps, events, and clinics for the larger San Antonio community, according to the press release.

“The recreation center is the culmination of several years of institutional effort to strengthen student life and recreation on campus. It is arguably the most student-driven and student-led construction project in the university’s history,” said Student Government Association President Jacob Goldstein. “An audacious future for recreational and athletic offerings for students is just around the corner.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.