Texas high school to open $60M football stadium

AP ^ | August 30, 2012 | Staff

[C19fan]

Call it the palace of high school football: A gleaming $60 million facility with seats for 18,000 roaring fans, a 38-foot-wide high-definition video screen, corporate sponsors and a towering upper deck. Welcome to the new home of Eagles Football. As school districts across the country struggle to retain teachers, replace outdated textbooks and keep class sizes from ballooning, the wealthy, burgeoning Dallas suburb of Allen is preparing to christen its new stadium with a sold-out Friday night matchup against defending state champions Southlake Carroll.

[rod1]

Attend a Lacrosse final four. It is a little like rugby but faster and with sticks. Awesome athletes.

[Mr. Blonde]

How many people have to attend an event to take the quotaton marks off “sports” also, why is that relevant?

[1rudeboy]

It's their choice.

So, how is that Obamacare ting going to work out for us?

[A Strict Constructionist]

Now I see why I was never a Bush fan...or a Texas fan for that matter. It sure hasn’t done them much good in college football. I understand why A&M joined the SEC, so they could be a part of a winning conference.

[1rudeboy]

How many people have to attend an event to take the quotaton marks off “sports” also, why is that relevant?

Only relevant in the sense that, when the quotation marks are removed, it allows the sport to be hung around your (taxpaying) neck like an albatross.

[Lorianne]

If that’s how the taxpayerw want to waste their money ... go for it. I think it’s ridiculous.

But that city better not ask for Federal money for other stuff that they “can’t afford to pay for” themselves.

[Lorianne]

Nothing. But I bet you wouldn’t have to dig too far to find out that Allen is receiving Federal money for other stuff.

[1rudeboy]

But that city better not ask for Federal money for other stuff that they “can’t afford to pay for” themselves.

Why? What's the difference?

[Balding_Eagle]

Do you live in that district?

How could you not know about this?

Did you vote against the bond issue for the stadium?

[bgill]

I prefer to think of these as marching band theaters.

Hear, hear!

[Mr. Blonde]

I would guess that Lacrosse and Water Polo were conducted in publicly funded venues as well. Probably not in 60 million dollar venues, but funded by taxpayers as well. Like this one, at their choice as well. It may not be wise, but they were not coerced, and unlike your comparison to Obamacare, there are no constitutional questions about a school district choosing to do this.

[okie01]

There are a lot of match-ups in Texas H.S. football that have reached legendary status.

I keep hearing about a semi-final game that was played in the midst of a raging blizzard, between Vernon and Phillips. Epic game that ended up in a zero-zero tie, Phillips advancing on gross yardage (by something like a bare 3 yds, as I recall).

Then, Phillips went on to win the state title.

At one time, I was given to understand by a reputable source that the unofficial total of money bet on high school football in Texas exceeded the amount bet on either college or pro football. A rancher betting a grand that the Dumas Demons would beat the spread vs the Dalhart Wolves was not unheard of.

Odds are that some of those guys sitting around the coffee shop in "The Last Picture Show's" Anarene (Archer City) on Saturday morning had lost some serious bread on the last game of the season vs Antelope (Olney).

There was even a rivalry in Central Texas (Clifton & Meridian?) that got banned because, every time the two teams met, the game ended with a knock-down, drag-out fight between the two towns. This around 1992-or-so, as I recall.

Texas high school football: Nothing like it.

I went to school and played football in Oklahoma. It was serious....but nothing like Texas.

[Lorianne]

Huge difference between local taxes and Federal taxes.
Read the Constitution.

If LOCAL people want to tax themselves to pay for such things that fine. But if Federal money is being sent to this city which offsets this expenditure then the whole country is basically subsidizing the football stadium. I have a huge problem with that

[dfwgator]

In my fair burg, Flower Mound, Marcus and Flower Mound High School have their own stadiums, but they’re nothing like Allen’s, that’s for sure.

And if anyone is curious, Marcus Sucks, Go Jags!

[1rudeboy]

I chose Obamacare as the extreme example. I am simply amused by ostensible conservatives supporting a facility that the authorities themselves admit they cannot fund.

Naturally, ten years from now, when things go south the same conservatives will be whining about "excessive" spending.

[Right Wing Assault]

Over 19,000 showed up last week for a high school doubleheader in Cleveland at Browns Stadium. Better matchups would have drawn quite a few more.

[1rudeboy]

Ok, State Constitution expert--when things go bad, the taxpayers of the State will be asked to bail this facility out. But wait a minute . . . the taxpayers of the State did not vote for this bond issue.

Read the Constitution. /s

[Rebelbase]

“Having lived in Texas, I can tell you that High School Football is a rite, not unlike Communion or a Bris!”

I’ve read that in some Texas towns with only one FM radio station if two teams are playing home games they’ll broadcast both games in stereo so listeners can fade the speakers to listen to one team or the other or both if they can handle it!

[Mr. Blonde]

They said the 60 mil is gone and they won’t get it back in cash, again I and they seem to think it will provide some community and cultural benefits for the city, but they will be able to run it with the revenue they make from it. They are even projecting extra money to put into the general fund for the school.

[1rudeboy]

For the third, and final, time. From the article:

The school district decided to build it in a down economy, knowing full well it will never recoup the costs.

Who would've guessed we'd have so many FR Keynesians gather on one thread?