The I Promise public school that LeBron James opened for disadvantaged youngsters in his hometown of Akron, Ohio will eventually end up costing district taxpayers roughly $8million each year.
District officials are still trying to finalize the contract details for the school, Cleveland.com reports.
The school is a joint effort of LeBron's foundation and Akron Public Schools and is the product of a decade's worth of work
'The coverage made it look like the whole thing is his. He did a lot, but taxpayers should know it's their investment too,' district spokesman Mark Williamson said.
The NBA star was widely praised and received national media coverage for his support of at-risk children when the school officially opened last month.
He personally donated millions through his LeBron James Family Foundation, worked to secure sponsorship and will ultimately have a huge influence on the school program.
But given it is a public school in the Akron district and not privately run, the taxpayers will actually end up paying the majority of the costs once it is fully established.
Once the school is established, it will cost the district approximately $8 million to run. The costs will mostly be covered by moving teachers, students and funds from other schools, according to the district.
LeBron's foundation will contribute $2 million a year when the school is functioning at full capacity with all eight grades. Currently, it is only catering for third and fourth graders.
The foundation has already contributed $500,000 this year to cover additional teachers, training and after-school care.
It has also spent $2 million on the redesign of the school district building and .LeBron has previously donated millions of dollars to his hometown school district.
The I Promise school, which LeBron counts as one of his greatest accomplishments, will offer classes for 'at-risk' students in the third and fourth grades and add first and second grades the following year.
The school will be finished by 2022 with first through eighth grades.
James also promised a free bicycle and helmets for students and vowed to pay tuition to the University of Akron for I Promise graduates, among other things.
For James, who recalled missing 83 days of school as a fourth grader while he and his mom Gloria 'looked for stability,' the opening culminated years of planning by his family foundation.
'This means everything,' James told The Associated Press at the opening.
'I think this is the greatest accomplishment for me because it's not just me. A championship is for a team, that's for an organization and a city. But these kids, this is for generation after generation after generation and it's for these kids, so it means everything.'
LeBron's school earned the praise of First Lady Melania Trump this week after the President attacked the NBA star in a weekend tweet questioning his intelligenceThe president lashed out at James after the three-time NBA champion was interviewed by CNN's Don Lemon largely to tout the public school's opening.
During the interview James said sports was something that unites Americans but that Trump 'used sport to kind of divide us,' drawing the retaliatory tweet from the president.
'Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn't easy to do. I like Mike!' Trump tweeted.
Mrs Trump appeared to take exception with her husband's attack on him.
'It looks like LeBron James is working to do good things on behalf of our next generation and just as she always has, the first lady encourages everyone to have an open dialogue about issues facing children today,' a statement issued by her spokeswoman said.
Following the attack from Trump, the school district spokesman also came out in defense of LeBron.
'Anyone that's done what LeBron James has done for the past decade to 15 years for our children to prepare them to flourish in life has to be an intelligent person,' Mark Williamson said
'He's a bright guy, end of story.'
Williamson called James a great role model, saying: 'He's never let our children down. Not once. He's never let these kids down.'
CC:DAILYMAIL
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