Inflation Begins This Week

ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Over the course of the past week, Hayden Bay, the company responsible for installation of the dome of the new Indoor Sports & Education Facility at NC Wesleyan, began mounting and assembling the mechanical systems for the building. This is the first step in an estimated two week process which will be completed with the inflation of the facility’s dome. The crew hopes to finalize inflation by Friday, July 31.

Crews broke ground on the project in early February 2020. The state-of-the-art, approximately 48,000 square foot, air-supported structure was designed by Oakley Collier Architects, engineered and produced by Broadwell Air Domes, and built by Smithson Incorporated. Phase I of the facility, including the design and construction of the air supported structure, two squash courts and four indoor tennis courts, was fully funded by anonymous donors, along with a grant from the Nash County Tourism Development Authority.

Broadwell Air Domes is an industry-leading air dome manufacturer that produces the highest quality, longest lasting and most technologically advanced air dome in the world. Wesleyan’s new facility will be unlike any in the area. The software-driven, climate-controlled “smart” building automatically adjusts to changing weather conditions. The software allows for full control over temperature, humidity, pressure and air quality, which can all be controlled from a smart phone. The shell of the structure is evenly covered with a square woven cable harness system that allows for superior strength and corner protection creating unmatched structural durability.

Recently, an additional anonymous donor committed funds to outfit the Exercise Science and Health Promotion area within the facility. This gift will provide these faculty members with new laboratory and office space, as well as new equipment to offer state-of-the-art learning to Wesleyan students. NC Wesleyan continues to seek donors to contribute to the success and development of various amenities and services provided to the campus, as well as the community, by the addition of the Indoor Sports & Education Facility.

“This process has demonstrated how Wesleyan faculty and staff, generous donors and the community can come together to enhance the learning and health of our students in a considerable way. This facility will have a major impact on the community as well by affording opportunities for physical activity, health research and tournaments that will bring additional revenue to Nash County area businesses,” stated NC Wesleyan President Dr. Evan D. Duff.

The facility has potential for future growth academically and athletically, specifically within the College’s Exercise Science and Health Promotion programs. The leadership team of NCWC, along with the faculty and staff associated in these areas, desire collaboration with the local community to improve and enhance the well-being of its citizens. The sports and future educational pillars of this facility— athletics, scholarship and research— have vast potential to develop training, mentorship and tutoring programs for area youth. The facility will also offer training and education for students and local citizens concerning prevention and management of diseases and injuries, as well as facilitating proper and enjoyable physical conditioning measures.

A time-lapse video of the inflation of the facility will be posted to the College’s website, ncwu.edu, and social media accounts in the coming weeks.