Gladiator Coliseum
by Freda Parker
Photos by David South, Jr.

School: Italy High School
Location: Italy Independent School District in Italy,Texas
Population: 650 Students
Facility: Monolithic Dome,two-story,148’ diameter as Multipurpose Center,that
includes gymnasium with walking track, seating for 1500,auditorium,classrooms
for special activities and concrete parking area and drives.
Design: Monolithic Dome Institute in Italy,Texas — Architect Rick Crandall
Shell Construction: Dome Technology Inc., Idaho Falls,Idaho
Finishing Construction: J.Daughtery Construction
Construction Management: Monolithic Construction Management in Italy, Texas — Alden Porter
Completed: January 2002
Construction Cost: $85 per square foot

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Once the 2000 residents of Italy,Texas passed a $2 million bond for a Multipurpose Center, administrators began researching popular construction of school facilities. Superintendent Mike Clifton said, “Of course we were all familiar with the domes. We had a good overview. But we really had to see for ourselves... we visited Thousand Oaks — a dome already operating — and we came away convinced.”

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Clifton and his board were impressed with the Monolithic Dome’s initial construction cost, ongoing maintenance costs, superior insulation and low energy use, and ability to survive natural disasters — including tornadoes, familiar visitors to Texas.

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The school and community learned that a Monolithic Dome is built to meet or exceed FEMA ’s (Federal Emergency Management Agency) criteria for structures that can provide what FEMA calls near-absolute protection. FEMA says,“Near-absolute protection means that, based on our knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes, the occupants of a shelter built according to this guidance will be protected from injury or death.” (Design and Construction Guidance for Community Shelters p.1-2)

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Working with Architect Rick Crandall and Construction Manager Alden Porter, Italy High chose a Monolithic Dome in the Orion style — a high, two-story design easily identified with dome arenas. It includes two levels of seating, concession stands, ticket booths, locker rooms and bathrooms. It’s also been designated as the school’s and the community’s disaster shelter.

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The Italy Gladiators use this Multipurpose Center for basketball and volleyball, and the general school population uses it for physical education,theatrical performances and a variety of other activities.

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One of the dome ’s features the athletes enjoy most is its maple, parquet floor laid in the famous Boston Gardens pattern. Dubbed the Air-Channel Star System, the floor is the result of many years of research by Robbins Inc.— the company that installed the Boston Gardens floor for the Celtics in 1946 and has since become a major supplier of gymnasium floors for the Olympics, professional stadiums and school gymnasiums.

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“That floor works with the athlete, not against him,” said Pat Milligan of the Ponder Company, a Dallas-based distributor for Robbins. “It’s particularly suited for competition because it minimizes impact forces and helps the players stay fresh.”

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Construction Manager Alden Porter noted that finding comfortable, durable seating at an affordable price was no easy task. With research, they found Grosfillex Sport Seats, manufactured by a French-based company with a history that dates back to 1927.

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Italy purchased 880 Grosfillex Sport Seats — black, polypropylene units with a 14-inch back support for comfort, that are mounted directly onto white concrete risers. Telescopic bleachers provide the additional seating.

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Given the beauty and uniqueness of this facility and its generous seating capacity, Superintendent Mike Clifton anticipates getting calls from neighboring schools asking to use Italy’s Multipurpose Center for playoff games.

Click here to view a photo journal of the construction of this gymnasium.