Voters in Prosper, Texas, on Tuesday rejected an effort by the Prosper Independent School District to upgrade athletic facilities and build a new $94 million football stadium to go with a $50 million stadium built in 2019.
As reported by Fox affiliate KDFW serving Dallas-Fort Worth, the athletics measure was part of a massive $2.8 billion bond package from the fast-growing district. Proposition C would have provided $102,425,000 for athletic facilities, including the $94 million 8,000-seat stadium, which would have been built on Richland High School grounds. The $50 million stadium built in 2019 seats 12,000.
About 54 percent of voters in Denton and Collin Counties rejected Prop C.
Prosper ISD is one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas, adding about 3,400 new students every year, KDFW reported..
The district says the Prosper ISD Board of Trustees will determine the next steps for the facility.
The rest of the bond package passed. Proposition A was a $2.4 billion measure to upgrade current schools and build several more. Proposition B calls for $140,000,000 to be used to provide new devices for students, teachers and staff. Proposition D was a $125,000,000 measure to build a massive Performing Arts Center, KDFW reported.
"We are profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support shown by our community. The 2023 Bond isn’t just an investment in the present; it is a commitment that will resonate positively within our community for generations to come," Prosper ISD superintendent Holly Ferguson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District voters ejected a $15 million bond item that would would have covered multiple safety renovations and improvements to Guy K. Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg.
As reported by CoveringKaty.com, stadium renovations would have included:
- Bleacher repairs
- Foundation repairs
- Roof repairs
- Locker room repairs
- Turf replacement
- LED lighting
Of the 19,435 people who voted, 55 percent voted against the proposition.
“We were truly hoping for a different outcome," Lamar CISD superintendent Roosevelt Nivens said. "Last year, we made plans to adjust this year’s budget to fund the cost of the turf replacement, but the repairs needed at Traylor Stadium are significant, and this is going to be a challenge.”
It was the only bond item placed on the ballot by Lamar CISD.
"The renovations were listed to prioritize functionality, but also the safety of students, staff and visitors," a district release stated. "Although the bond did not pass, repairs are still needed as things wear out in time."
