St. Cloud Area School Board Approves Bids for Part of Apex Athletic Center Construction

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud Area School Board on Wednesday night approved a series of construction bids and purchasing contracts for the Apex Athletic Center, moving the $15 million indoor multipurpose athletic facility one step closer to breaking ground this spring.

The board awarded 12 construction contracts totaling approximately $5.2 million for what is known as Bid Package 2, which covers the bulk of the interior work and site development. The contracts span everything from concrete and structural steel to electrical, mechanical, and fencing work.

The board also approved two joint purchasing contracts for specialized components — field turf and permanently affixed athletic equipment. The district selected Sprinturf, the same product installed at Apollo’s outdoor stadium, at a cost of $405,540. Athletic equipment including batting cages, a divider curtain, and perimeter netting will be provided by H2I Group for $299,695. Together, those contracts add another $705,235 to the project’s total spend approved Wednesday night.

All contracts will be funded through proceeds from the district’s 2025A School Building Bonds, which were authorized by voters who approved the project.

The Apex Athletic Center, to be built on the Apollo High School campus, will house an indoor turf field and walking track and support sports including soccer, softball, lacrosse, baseball, football, and golf. The facility will also feature batting cages and golf simulators. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for May 2026, with completion expected in April 2027.

The center’s name was finalized by the board in recent months. The word “Apex” was chosen to reflect both the building’s height and the goal of reaching peak athletic achievement. The full $15 million project was approved by 54% of voters in April 2025.

Here is a breakdown of the $5.2 million in approved contracts:

Concrete – DRSC Concrete Inc. – $829,845
Precast Concrete – Taracon Precast – $610,630
Structural Steel – Ben’s Structural Fabrication – $184,649
Aluminum Storefront & Glazing – United Glass Inc. – $86,013
Gypsum Assemblies – Pinnacle Wall Systems – $229,000
Flooring – MCI, Inc. – $375,900
Fire Protection – Breth-Zenzen Fire Protection – $172,060
Mechanical – Lake Country Mechanical, Inc. – $814,000
Electrical – Design Electric Inc. – $767,977
Earthwork & Site Utilities – Joe’s Excavating – $705,000
Asphalt Paving – Knife River Corporation – $187,700
Fencing – Midwest Fence & Manufacturing Co. – $243,050

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