It is game time — at least when it comes building new athletic facilities at George Rogers Clark High School.

Although it has been a project that has taken longer than many would have hoped, the Clark County public school district is ready to take the next step toward giving high school students athletic facilities they can truly call their own.

The board of education unanimously voted to accept bids for the construction of a football stadium and gymnasium at George Rogers Clark High School.

And while it did not include every amenity some early proposals did including baseball and softball fields and a field house, this version still features several of the alternate construction components that were in jeopardy, including visitor bleachers and tennis courts.

The current bids also include funding for site preparation of phase two of this project.

The board has only received the bids and have not yet awarded them as there are some final details to be ironed out.

Regardless, the projected cost is expected to be around $21.3 million and still within the district’s budget. The reality is major construction projects like this don’t get less expensive; the cost goes us almost every day it is delayed.

We expect the bids will officially be awarded in the near future. So, hopefully, we will see ground broken very soon.

It is also good news that the district would be able to maintain some of its bonding potential to help fund the first phase of a preschool project, which may need to be supplemented by funds from the district’s $14 million reserve.

This has been a challenging project for the district and we applaud its efforts to get it right. This version certainly won’t make everyone happy, but it is a big leap in the right direction.

Having facilities like this will allow the district to have an indoor graduation and gather all the students at the new high school in one place for the first time. It will also serve as a great point of pride for the entire community.

Clark County’s taxpayers deserve it, but — most importantly — our students deserve it.