Since midsummer, there has been a lot of work being done on the campus of Marion Military Institute. The tennis courts were torn down and the house at the corner of Hannah Street was demolished. This is part of a long term project undertaken by the college to build a new dining facility and new tennis courts. The new tennis courts will be located at the corner of Hannah Street and Prier Dr., adjacent to the other MMI athletic facilities.It is expected to be completed by the end of the academic year. Until then, MMI’s tennis team will be practicing in Selma.
A public groundbreaking ceremony for the project will be held Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 11:30 a.m.
The new dining hall will be built where the old tennis courts stood. The project completion date is in the Fall of 2023. The old dining hall under Rainn Hall will be repurposed for campus use. The new dining hall was designed by Davis Architects of Birmingham and the bid for construction was awarded to Amason of Tuscaloosa. The new dining hall will be built to accommodate the entire Cadet Corps and will feature a state of the art kitchen, a private dining room and a space for special events.
“This groundbreaking signifies the first new construction that MMI has seen in 30 years since the Ireland Athletic Complex and is an enormous step forward for this historic college. We are very grateful to Chancellor Baker and the Alabama Community College System and Board of Trustees for their support and vision for our campus,” notes Mrs. Suzanne McKee, MMI’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
MMI plans to convert the former Dining Hall space into an updated uniform department and bookstore.
Special guests in attendance at the groundbreaking will include Mr. Jimmy Baker, Chancellor, Alabama Community College System (ACCS), Mr. Llevelyn Rhone, ACCS Trustee, Congressional District 7, members of the MMI Board of Trustees & Advisors, as well as municipal leaders and several state legislators.
— Sebastian Nail
