VALDOSTA — A former University of Georgia star, Hope Spivey always wanted to return to the Peach State.

So when friends of the 1988 Olympic gymnast told her to give south Georgia a look, Spivey did just that and found her new home in Valdosta. And after a few ups and downs along the way, Spivey’s Gymnastics will be opening next month in a new facility off James Road.

“We’re thrilled,” Spivey said about the 14,000 square foot facility that is currently being built near Westside Elementary. “A little nervous and excited all at the same time.”

Work on the new facility began this week and once it is finished — Spivey is hoping near the middle of January — it will be a state-of-the art facility for her team of four instructors to begin teaching in.

Offering classes for preschool gymnastics, recreational gymnastics and tumbling as well as competition teams through Level 8, Spivey said the building will have room for everything, including a glassed-in lobby and observation area as well as a pro shop and a birthday party room.

“We’ll have all the in-ground training pits, our tumble track will be in ground,” she said. “It will basically be two distinctive training areas for our teams and our rec classes, all under one roof of course.”

Prior to moving to Valdosta over the summer, Spivey had her gym located in her home state of Virginia. But the insistence of friends as well as a few trips to the area, convinced the 11-time All-American and five-time NCAA champion to make the move south.

“Well, obviously having been in the state for many, many years and having friends in the south Georgia area, they kept saying, ‘Look, I know you want to be back in Georgia again, that’s where your heart is. You really need to look at Valdosta and take that into consideration,’” Spivey said. “I said OK and obviously in the last two years, I’d come down and do camps at the Thomasville Y and stuff like that. The more I talked with the parents and got a better feel, I just thought this really would be a great central location for south Georgia and north Florida to give some of these kids an exciting gymnastics experience that has good expectations.

“That’s how it all started and here we are.”

And finally, here Spivey’s Gymnastics is, under construction and ready to host classes in short order.

“Most people that we have spoke to and had contact with, they’re very receptive,” she said. “We had some ups and downs, but now this has come to great fruition for us and this will be a beautiful facility for the community and for south Georgia for, gosh, many, many years to come.”

Jamie Wachter is the sports editor of the Valdosta Daily Times and can be followed on Twitter @jlwachter.