Capital Projects
The Shaquille O’Neal Boys & Girls Club of Henry County opened in August 2021. The first ever Club in Henry County serves more than 300 members at its newly renovated facility. The building underwent a $1M renovation funded by the Foundation to repurpose the space to include a learning center, computer lab, arts & crafts center, music studio, game room, multipurpose room, and gym.
A partnership between The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, the Club also received overwhelming support from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the City of McDonough, Henry County, the Henry County Board of Education, and several other partners including a local advisory board which led a three-year community engagement effort to bring a Club to the area.
Comebaq Court at Shaquille O'Neal Boys & Girls Club
As part of their combined efforts to provide children safe, engaging places to play, The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation and Icy Hot opened their newest Comebaq Court at the Shaquille O'Neal Boys & Girls Club of Henry County in May 2023. This is the largest Comebaq Court project to date, featuring a brand-new multipurpose basketball court, turf field and tennis/pickleball court. Icy Hot and the Foundation launched Comebaq Courts in 2021 to help underserved communities by refurbishing courts and other spaces for future athletes to hone their skills and work towards their goals.
Shaq Courts at Doolittle
Through generous donations from longtime partner Icy Hot and the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, the Shaq Courts at Doolittle Complex were dedicated on October 23rd, 2021. The basketball court renovation was an initiative as part of the “Combaq Courts” program that refurbishes existing public basketball courts throughout the country to ensure young athletes have access to quality courts so they can get back in the game.
Improvements to the Shaq Courts include new surfacing, custom colors and floor graphics, shade structures, seating areas, new basketball standards, and a state-of-the-art LED scoreboard. Two special art installations – a life-sized pair of “Shaq” shoes and a six-foot LED lighted basketball – create fun and signature visuals for community enjoyments as well as aesthetic enhancement of the area.
Boulder Highway Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada
Through a donation from The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Reebok, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada installed a new, artificial turf, multi-sport field at the Boulder Highway Clubhouse in March 2023. The project included the removal of grass, leveling of the area, and installation of a sub-base and over 6,000 sq. ft. of artificial turf. Water conservation and year-round availability to youth were the main factors in the design. The field will allow for more Healthy Lifestyles programming at the Club, including enhanced play, sports, recreation, and fitness activities.
Anderson Boys & Girls Club Court
On June 1, 2022 The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, Reebok and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, unveiled a refurbished basketball court at the James T. Anderson Boys & Girls Club in Marietta, Ga., located 20 miles north of Atlanta. The colorful and abstract court design furthers the organization’s shared commitment to encouraging youth physical activity and creativity. The restoration was executed by Project Backboard, a non-profit whose mission is to renovate courts to help strengthen communities and encourage multi-generational play. The months-long revamp entailed sourcing brand new portable basketball hoops, repairing surface cracks and bumps, applying new layers of sealant for durability, and painting a beautiful abstract design by Atlanta-based artist Jamaal Barber, with input from Anderson Club members.
Newark Comebaq Court
The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and long-time partner Icy Hot unveiled their second “Comebaq Court” on June 13, 2022 in Shaquille’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey. The Comebaq Court initiative is designed to help kids in underserved communities byrefurbishing existing public basketball courts and giving them safe spaces to play. The Newark court features a new scoreboard and a sport surface engineered for better traction and low abrasion. It follows the October 2021 Comebaq Court that opened in Las Vegas, with plans to support additional communities in 2022.
Comebaq Court at Challengers Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles
On November 16, 2023 The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Icy Hot opened their fifth Comebaq Court at the Challengers Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles, as part of their combined efforts to inspire the next generation of athletes and rebuild healthy places for kids to play in underserved communities. The new Comebaq Court – created in collaboration with the Lakers Youth Foundation – will provide Club members with a refurbished space to play and hone their basketball skills.