How does Obama's basketball court spending compare to other presidential White House upgrades?

1. The claim: Obama spent $300–$376 million on a White House basketball court

Social media posts and partisan commentary circulated figures such as $300–$376 million alleging Obama “built” a basketball court at the White House; those viral claims appear tied to debates over separate, high‑cost renovation proposals and are repeated by outlets quoting online posts ^{[1] [5] [6]}.

2. What contemporaneous White House records actually say

The Obama White House archive explicitly states that shortly after taking office in 2009 President Obama had the existing White House tennis court adapted so it could be used for both tennis and basketball — i.e., adding hoops and lines rather than constructing a new, large structure ^{[1] [3] [2]}.

3. Fact‑checks and news reporting debunk the huge price tag

Multiple fact‑checks and news outlets examined the viral multimillion claims and concluded the $300–$376 million figure is false or unsupported: no government budget documentation from that era earmarks such an amount for the court, and several outlets report the adaptation was small and likely privately funded ^{[1] [2] [7] [3]}.

4. How much did it plausibly cost?

While there is no official line‑item cost released for the 2009 adaptation, pricing analyses and reporting suggest the work amounted to repainting lines and adding removable hoops — a conversion that plausibly would be in the low five‑figures or less for typical courts if resurfacing wasn’t required ^[8]. Newsweek and Market Realist note the administration did not disclose an official cost and that some Obamas’ interior decorating costs were paid privately ^{[4] [9]}.

5. How this compares with other White House renovations

Larger White House projects have run into the hundreds of millions when they involve structural modernization or congressionally authorized capital projects; reporting distinguishes those structural modernization funds from small recreational upgrades. Newsweek cites a congressionally approved modernization figure and contrasts it with the modest tennis‑to‑basketball conversion, underscoring the difference in scale ^{[4] [3]}.

6. Political context: why the inflated claim spread

The inflated cost figure circulated amid controversy over separate, high‑cost renovation proposals for the White House by later administrations; commentators and partisan outlets used the Obama claim as a counterexample or justification, despite fact‑checkers finding no evidence for the large numbers. Some outlets advancing the claim framed it to defend or attack subsequent projects, revealing a partisan motive to equate dissimilar projects ^{[6] [5] [3]}.

7. Limitations in available reporting

Available sources do not provide a single official invoice or federal procurement document specifically listing the 2009 conversion cost, and the White House declined to disclose a line‑item; thus exact dollars for that adaptation are not publicly documented ^{[2] [4]}. Because of that absence, definitive small‑dollar estimates rely on typical market prices and reporting context rather than an official receipt ^[8].

8. Bottom line for readers

The best available reporting and fact‑checks agree: Obama did convert the existing tennis court for dual use in 2009, but there is no evidence he spent $300–$376 million on a basketball court; the claim is a misinformation narrative that arose amid debate over other, genuinely large White House renovation proposals ^{[1] [3] [2]}. If you need the precise accounting for any White House construction project, consult the specific congressional or White House procurement records tied to that project — available sources do not mention a detailed cost for Obama’s court conversion ^{[4] [2]}.