There is no excuse for this kind of excess.
The District operates 20 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, four alternative schools, and one early childhood education center.
But it is STILL excessive. Since when did public colleges and high schools assume the responsibility of providing farm teams for the NFL?
I live in Allen, 5 miles south of where McKinney is building this complex. I am kind of surprised that they are only getting 12,000 sets for their 70 mil — we got 18,000 seats for 60 mil.
You can call it excess, but consider the following:
> The district no longer has to pay the University of North Texas in Denton (an hour drive away) $100k a year to hold its commencement ceremony in an inconvenient location.
> Tickets for Allen Eagle Football games (four time State Champions) range from $10 - 25$ each (with a thriving resale market) and the place is PACKED on game nights.
> The stadium is also rented out to other events, which produces more revenue for the Allen ISD.
> The price tag for the facility also included rehearsal areas for the MASSIVE band and cheer team (The Allen Escadrille is a regular performer at the Tournament of Roses parade) and other performing arts taught at the school.
All in all, a decent deal for an ISD that has an enrollment of 6 to 8 thousand students at the one high school in the district and is located in one of the more affluent cities of one of the most affluent counties in the country. I am wondering what West Plano High School will come up with in another few years — there is some SERIOUS money in West Plano.
As,long as,junior has a 0.00001 percent chance at a big pro football career, then it’s apparently justifiable.
It’s Texas.
Plano ISD is spending more than that on a new auditorium.