Gymnasium - Kennesaw State University Marietta Campus

When the Southern Technical Institute migrated from Chamblee, Ga to Marietta, Ga it signified a new chapter in their history. However, they did not account for such a massive growth in the student population, which in turn caused the need for a large recreational space and a place to assemble the entire student body. Deciding to “kill two birds with one stone” the Southern Technical Institute enlisted Bothwell and Associates of Decatur to design a space that could serve both purposes. They came up with the gymnasium, which from its initial use in 1966 to the modern day has managed to reamain a popular recreation space and a host of a variety of activities. 

With the rapidly growing student population, Southern Technical Institute (STI) quickly realized they needed a place for students to hold activities and an area large enough to accommodate all the students and the faculty/staff. This led to the addition of the gymnasium, completed in 1966. Its purpose was to provide recreational space and an auditorium, and the building was used frequently. This 29,182-square-foot building stood two stories high and was equipped with a regulation-length basketball court, bleachers, concession stands, and offices for the athletic department. The basketball court was used for wrestling, cheer, volleyball, weightlifting, and many other sports, clubs, and activities. The campus newspaper, The Engineering Technician, reported that the gymnasium was in the planning stages in December 1964 with an anticipated opening date in fall of 1965. Construction delays pushed back the opening until 1966. The gymnasium was expected to seat 2,000 people, and the public would enter on the upper level, where they could go directly to the seating section without crossing the gymnasium floor. Known as the Physical Education and Multipurpose Building at the time of its construction, today the building is called the Gymnasium or the Marietta Event Center. 

With the creation of a Recreation and Wellness Center in 1996, today the gymnasium is used mainly for basketball games and smaller club meetings. The athletic department offices are still housed in the gymnasium. As it has the most open interior space, the gymnasium is still used for events like awards ceremonies, guest speakers, dances, and assemblies. The first major non-athletic event to take place in the new gymnasium was an assembly to house a gubernatorial candidate debate between Howard Bo Callaway (Republican) and Lester Maddox (Democrat). While not one of the original eight buildings on the STI Marietta campus, the gymnasium dates from the first decade of the college’s history in Cobb County and is consistent with the architectural style and materials of that period. The gymnasium was designed by Bothwell and Associates of Decatur, this was the third building that Bothwell and Associates designed for the then Southern Technical Institute, with the first two buildings being the dormitories. 

The gymnasium lies along the campus perimeter just southwest of the second dormitory and is surrounded by S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field, parking lots, the College of Architecture, and the Civil and Environmental Engineering building. Like many of the other buildings on campus built in the 1960s, it is constructed of red brick, steel, and glass, with an emphasis on simplicity, clean lines, and efficiency. Similar to many other buildings on the campus, the gymnasium has yet to receive a name designation, and as such is just colloquially called “the gymnasium.” However, despite the gymnasium’s growing age and “competition” with the Recreation and Wellness Center on the other side of campus, it remains a popular staple among both students and staff to host events. As of May 2023, the gymnasium is undergoing renovations to update the original facilities. 

Bennett, Richard A. "The History." Kennesaw State University.

Marietta Campus Interactive Map, Accessed May 18th, 2023. https://maps.kennesaw.edu.

Southern Technical Institute Course Catalogue 1966-1967.

The Stinger February 21st, 1977.

The Engineering Technician. Vol. 19. No. 3. 1967

"STI to Have New Gym Ready for Mid-Winter Use." The Engineering Technician (Marietta) Vol. 17. No. 9. July 8th, 1965

"Georgia Gubernatorial Hopefuls Speak to Students." The Engineering Technician (Marietta) Vol. 19. No. 2. November 15th, 1966