6 November 2 - 8, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents T he grand cathedrals of arguably Texas’ favorite religion are as well-equipped as their high-tech counterparts in the clerical arena. Gone are the rusted bleachers, creaky stadiums and scoreboards with burned-out bulbs. They’ve given way to gigantic HD LED video screens that can light up a few city blocks, state-of-the-art press boxes with the latest in audio-visual broad- cast technology, thousands upon thousands of seats with ample legroom and the most ad- vanced, cushy turf money can buy. These are all vital parts of the gameday presentation and experience in the here and now. This is football, and we’re in the Lone Star State, baby. The green and white gridiron is where our collective focus shifts when the ref blows that whistle. To be clear, we’re not talk- ing about amenities at AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play, nor about NRG Sta- dium, the home of the NFL’s Houston Tex- ans. No, we’re talking about North Texas high school football stadiums. Not surprisingly, these thoroughly modern structures come with enormous price tags. Since more than 12 years ago, when Allen ISD made national headlines for its $60 mil- lion stadium, it seems as though there’s been a race by Texas school districts to outdo one another. In North Texas, at least one school district is trying to one up itself: by adding yet another far more expensive one to go along with its fairly new stadium. Is it a case of the Joneses trying to keep up with themselves, or is it just the cost of doing business for a school district experi- encing astronomical growth? Probably a bit of both. Early voting began last month for a $2.8-billion bond package in the Prosper ISD. It’s one of the largest school district bond packages in state history, and one of many high-dollar proposals that voters in Texas have had to consider in recent years. Also up for a vote this year, a $1.9-billion package for Conroe ISD. In 2022, Austin ISD offered a $2.4-billion bond package that was approved by voters. Four propositions on the ballot cover a wide range of needs for Prosper ISD, in- cluding construction of new schools, im- provements to existing facilities, providing new tech devices to both teachers and stu- dents and the building of a new performing arts center. But those aren’t attracting much attention outside of district that comprises parts of Collin and Denton counties. Proposition C, which allows $94 million for the construction of a new football sta- dium, has made headlines across the state and beyond. Overall, the prop seeks $102,425, which would also provide artifi- cial turf and new tracks at existing ISD ath- letic facilities. A s one of the fastest-growing school districts in North Texas, Prosper ISD needs a great deal of cash to support upward of 3,000 new students per year. The district, which currently educates just over 28,000 students spread across 25 campuses, plans to add two new high schools over the next five years to its exist- ing three. According to Prosper ISD chief communications officer Rachel Trotter, the district has come a long way in a relatively short period of time, and new campuses and, yes, new stadiums, are necessary to support the influx of students. Oh, there’s just one more thing: The pro- posed $94-million stadium will be in addi- tion to the district’s 12,000-seat Children’s Health Stadium, a nearly $50-million venue opened in 2019.. If Prop C passes, the goal would be to have the new stadium open in 2028 when the district will have five high schools up and running. “If you start trying to run five high schools though one stadium, you’re playing [football] on Thursday, Friday and twice on Saturday,” Trotter said. “I mean, you start running into scheduling issues, right?” When Trotter lays out the projected growth for the district and what the past couple of decades have looked like for Pros- per ISD, it’s not the craziest thing in the world to squint and see a need for an addi- tional facility. Trotter pointed out that un- like other fast-growing ISDs such as nearby Frisco, McKinney and Allen, her district be- gan its growth when it was not nearly as well-equipped as its neighbors, making the need for new construction more of a priority for Prosper, in her mind. Since 2001, Prosper ISD has increased by more than 20 cam- puses and more than 27,000 students. “When the growth started in Prosper,” she said, “you’re talking about a very rural, agricultural community with less than a thousand kids in the school district. To me, that is the difference: Where we started and how fast we’ve gotten to where we are.” Trotter pointed out that voters can vote for or against any of the four props, so that the money for a new stadium isn’t part of an all-or-nothing scenario. Another selling point is that the $94 million is representa- tive of the maximum possible amount that will be approved for the stadium, not a de- finitive price tag. The proposed dollar amount takes into account inflation and what the planning and construction of a new stadium may cost in the coming years. But not everyone is buying what the dis- trict is selling. E mily Cochrane, a mother of two school-aged children in Prosper ISD, has lived in the area since 2019. Her family moved into the district just after a $1.33 billion bond package was | UNFAIR PARK | Mike Brooks >> p8 Friday Night Price Prosper ISD wants a new stadium. It could be the most expensive one ever. By Kelly Dearmore Prosper owns the 12,000-seat Children’s Health Stadium, a nearly $50-million venue, but hopes to build a larger more expensive one.
