Ranking the top 5 most expensive high school basketball venues across the nation

By Nishant

Modified Oct 07, 2024 23:01 GMT

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The new season is quickly approaching, and here's a look at the top five most expensive high school basketball venues in the country. Their worth also includes the maintenance cost and cost of the larger buildings in which the arenas are present.

High school basketball paves the way for an individual’s professional career. It is where young basketball players sharpen their skills before they step onto college campuses, and some even reach the NBA.

Since a star player can immensely impact an institution's popularity, some high schools are well-equipped with top-notch facilities. Multiple high school basketball venues hold special importance for their architecture, history, capacity and legends who played on that particular court.

Top 5 high school basketball venues

#5, Richmond’s Tiernan Center, Indiana

Richmond (Indiana) High School's $7.5 million Tiernan Center was established in 1984. Its seating capacity ranges from 7,700 to 8,100, making it the fifth-largest high school basketball arena.

Richmond won 33 sectional titles between 1940 and 1979. The Red Devils celebrated their first state title at the Tiernan Center in 1992. A few thousand fans greeted the team at the venue. Billy Wright, Chad Austin and Jerrad Power are some of the stars who played for the Red Devils.

#4, New Castle Fieldhouse, Indiana

Built in 1959, New Castle Fieldhouse is the largest high school basketball venue in the world. The venue was built at $875,000, equal to about $7.5 million today. It was formerly known as Chrysler Fieldhouse and had over 9,300 seating capacity with portable seats. However, those seats were later removed, bringing down its capacity to 8,000. During renovation in 2020, some seats were added, raising the maximum possible attendance to 8,424.

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Classic is hosted annually at the venue between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The top four girls and boys teams participate in the tournament. Former Detroit Pistons center Kent Benson and Dallas Mavericks guard Steve Alford have graced the Fieldhouse.

#3, John Q. Hammond Arena, Oklahoma

Also known as the Union Multipurpose Activity Center, John Q. Hammond Arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was built for a cost of $22 million in 2003 and has a modern design. The high school basketball venue can host 5,662 fans.

The Summit League men's basketball tournament was played at the arena from 2005 to 2008. It is the home of the Union Redskins. Besides basketball, it also hosts other sports and cultural events.

#2, Wildcat Den, Arizona

With a valuation of $23 million, Wildcat Den is one of the most expensive high school basketball venues. It has a seating capacity of 7,500 and is among the top 15 largest high school venues. It was established in 2006 and is the home court of the Chinle (Arizona) Wildcats. The venue was featured in the "Basketball or Nothing" Netflix series.

#1, Alario Center, Louisiana

Opened in 1999 and valued at $24 million, the Alario Center has a seating capacity of 2,400. It is named after the father of the Louisiana State Legislature’s dean. It hosts various AAU boys basketball tournaments. The NBA's New Orleans Pelicans used the venue as a practice facility for 12 years from 2002 to 2013. It has six courts under one roof, allowing it to host multiple games simultaneously.