The White House basketball and tennis court, renovated under President Obama in 2009, remains one of the most iconic spots on the South Lawn (Photo: Pinterest)
President Donald Trump’s reported $300 million facility plan for razing the East Wing of the White House and creating a big ballroom has some netizens lap up a parallel rumor concerning former President Barack Obama.
On social media, users are claiming that Obama squandered $376 million of taxpayer money constructing a basketball court during his presidency. This completely false assertion has no basis in fact.
In 2009, following renovation work to the existing White House tennis court that was set up in the 1950s under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Obama added basketball hoops and court markings to the service of tennis and basketball. Instead of erecting a new structure, Obama had hoops and court markings added to give the space dual use tennis and basketball. The renovation was low-key almost an unworthy multimillion-dollar luxury.
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Estimates of sports facility experts suggest that even the highest-grade outdoor basketball courts typically will cost about $50,000 to $200,000, far below the highly inflated figure circling on the internet.
There is presently no evidence to support that taxpayer funding was ever used to renovate the court. The official budget documents from 2009 to 2016 contain no allocations or earmarks for new athletic facilities at the White House. It remained unclear who precisely paid for the upgrades, though numerous reports suggest that the project could have been privately financed, either from personal funds directly from the Obamas or from outside donations.
According to the Obama White House archives, "Shortly after taking office, President Obama had the White House tennis court adapted so it could be used for both tennis and basketball." It is clear from the above statement that the renovation was an adaptation and not an extravagant government affair.
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This unverified claim about a $376 million basketball court seems to have found its way back onto the screens amid the present debates about government spending, especially after the Trump $300 million East Wing redesign reports. The two are far apart in whether rumor or confirmed plan.
A cultural icon in its own right, Obama's basketball court is still on the South Lawn, suddenly became a point of contention rather than a financial controversy. During its time, it hosted informal games with staff, visiting sportsmen and legends of the NBA, such as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, all at a fraction of the cost currently being circulated as fake news.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on verified facts and public records. No claims or figures have been fabricated or taken from unverified online sources.
