AUSTINTOWN, Ohio - The Austintown Local School District is inching closer to completing a state-of-the-art recreation center being built on the north side of Austintown Fitch High School. 

The more than 4,000 students who attend Austintown Local Schools are awaiting the opening of a 42,000 square-foot complex set to open in fall of 2025. 

Plans for the complex were announced in March of 2022. The vision for the facility is being compared to YSU's WATTS Center. It will feature a turf field, batting cages, a three-lane track, a weight room, a wrestling space, and a golf simulator.

"We're very progressive in Austintown," said Superintendent Timothy Kelty to 21 News on Thursday. "We want to move forward. Not only with our sports but with our academics too. This fits into anything that we can do for our students and our community to strengthen that bond for our kids and our faculty."

The Austintown Board of Education gave the final green light on the project Thursday by approving a resolution to "authorize a guaranteed maximum price amendment with Hively Construction Company in connection with the construction of a new recreation center."

"This is the final piece of it," Superintendent Kelty said. "Where we're talking about the roof and the inside dealings of the sports complex itself."

District Treasurer Blaise Karlovic told 21 News capital improvement dollars are helping expense the $14 million price tag. Superintendent Kelty said cameras will soon be installed for the community to get a glimpse of construction progress.

"We're very happy to the extent of where we're at right now," Kelty said. "It's moving quite rapidly right now and it's going very well."

The Warren City School District opened its recreation and wellness center this past fall.

The complex will open sometime next fall.