Jayco Arena has been approved as the name for the arena in the new activity center in Middlebury, Indiana, following a vote on Tuesday at the Middlebury Community Schools board meeting. The activity center is currently under construction with an expected completion date as early as September 2024.
“We’re really excited to have a great partnership with Jayco and the work they do for this community, the people they employ and their willingness to support public education,” said Dr. Jayson Snyder, Middlebury Community Schools superintendent. “The naming rights with this facility means a lot for our school district, for our community and for Northridge High School.”
The arena will provide seating for approximately 4,000 people, with a four-lane walking track on the second level. There is also a separate area with three additional full multiuse courts for basketball, tennis or volleyball. The second level also features a large group recreation area for community or school activities, including dance clubs and aerobics classes, that includes a kitchenette and 35 feet by 70 feet of open space.
“This partnership with Jayco is a huge asset to the community. They have been very generous in many ways beyond just this facility,” said Kate Hummel, Middlebury Community School Board president. “Everything from holiday assistance programs to school supplies, this sponsorship puts it on an even larger scale.”
“Jayco has been one of the leaders in our community in terms of being there, being present,” said Ryan Bales, Northridge High School athletic director. “We’re looking to take the next step with our athletic programs, and we feel that the Jayco Arena is going to be a big part of that.”
The Jayco name and logos will appear prominently throughout the building, including a large banner in the entrance lobby, printed on each side of the basketball court, in the stands in corners of the arena and on all four sides of the large center digital scoreboard hanging above center court.
“Having grown up in the community, this is especially meaningful for me to see the great facilities that the school is able to offer,” said Mike Ritchie, Jayco VP of finance. “I have kids that attend the school and like to see the great improvements and facilities that are available to them.”
The Jayco Arena and Middlebury Activity Center, or ‘MAC’ as many are beginning to call it, will not only provide a new indoor athletic space for the school system, but the building will be made available to the broader Middlebury community as well. Jayco nights for employees are already being planned to take full advantage of the new facility.
“We have deep roots in the Middlebury community, a lot of our employees and their families are Northridge alumni and so many of our current team members have kids in the school system,” said Ken Walters, Jayco president and CEO. “There is not a more important thing to us than our people, and we are excited to partner to make this a world class facility. Go Raiders!”
