City and Rowan County officials alike recently cut a ribbon to mark the opening of the City of Morehead Parks and Recreation Department’s new basketball court at the Carl D. Perkins Center.
The court was named Matthew R. Hamilton Court in honor of Matt Hamilton, the active head of the city’s recreational department. He said the space can be used for a variety of events.
“Aside from the regular rentals for parties, weddings, now we can run tourism-based sports out of here. We can run tournaments, basketball, volleyball, your name it. We built it to where it can be utilized for everything,” Hamilton said. “Every time we bring people in, they are staying at our hotels, eating at our restaurants, it is just great for the economy.”
Officials said the new floor is state of the art, with a beige and blue color scheme, a soft sponge-like feel, and the recreation department’s logo scattered about. The room also hosts spectator bleachers, a custom scorer’s table, and a state-of-the-art concession stand equipped with a modern kitchen. The city began planning a year and a half ago when its last recreation building, Laughlin, built on the campus of Morehead State University in 1937, was brought down.
Mayor of Morehead, Laura White-Brown, said the new court is a great opportunity to meet this need in the community.
“You know it is another space people can gather but it is also a place that is cohesive for young kids all the way to adults who want either physical activity or recreational league sports. I know my kids will be out here playing on their city league teams,” Brown said.
Officials noted the building is still for rent and in the past has brought in not only the local community but also renters from surrounding states.