The Cerritos College Gymnasium is in its final stages of construction with a projected completion date expected for late next week, and the opening ceremonies will be held on March 8.

The Cerritos College men’s basketball team is scheduled to be the first team to use the gym for its upcoming home game on Friday, Jan. 25.

The construction of the gymnasium started in Aug. 2010, the renovation which includes a seismic upgrade, that will ensure that the building will be stable in the event of a major earthquake.

The interior of the gymnasium has gone through a face-lift, getting a complete interior renovation. Some changes included refinished: floors, restroom facilities, team rooms, general fitness rooms, lobby and concessions stand.

An elevator has also been installed to provide accessibility to the second floor mezzanine.

David Moore, director of physical plant and construction services mentioned other new items we can expect in the gym, “New bleachers have been installed. New championship banners, new trophy cases, new scoreboards, shot clocks, and back boards.

“There is also a completely new audio/visual system, and projectors or LCD TVs in the team rooms and lobby.”

The new gymnasium is also ADA compliant for handicap accessibility.

The exterior of the gymnasium also has a new roof that should last 30 years, exterior upgrades, new front signage and canopies.

Substantial completion of the gymnasium is scheduled to be on Jan. 25 with all final improvements on the interior and exterior scheduled to be finished by the end of May.

The renovation is set to have cost about $16.5 million, with the state contributing about $10.5 million for the renovation.

Hospitality major Asbel Rodriguez is excited to finally see the finished gym, “I’m really excited to finally see what it’s going to look like inside. It seems it’s been forever since they started.”

Although some students may seem happy that Cerritos College will soon have a home gym, others are disturbed that so much funding went toward a gym renovation instead of other parts in campus.

“I’m happy to see that we’ll finally have a home gym for sports, but I wish they would have used that money for a parking lot renovation since it always seems to be crowded,” advertising major Darlene Espinoza said, “That’s what students really need, not a new gym.”

The construction of the gym also includes parking renovation scheduled to be ready by the end of May.

Upgrades include brand new parking spaces, landscaping, lighting and benches, and a brand new LCD digital signage structure on Alondra Blvd.

An opening ceremony for the is scheduled for March 8 at 11 a.m.