High school officials in Katy, Texas -- just west of Houston -- next year "plan to unveil" a $62M stadium-development plan, while McKinney, Texas -- just north of Dallas -- also "is considering spending more than" $50M on its own football stadium, according to David Warren of the AP. It seems that "only in Texas" are such "exorbitant price tags for high school stadiums the new normal." Football venues in other states "are far less expensive, often in the range" of $5-10M. Texas school officials said that their districts "are teeming with new students and that the stadiums reflect their communities' need for larger, more modern facilities." Many of the facilities "are designed to serve multiple schools and multiple sports and host special events," and they "should last for generations." It is an "extraordinary amount to spend on teen athletes." The result is a high school stadium that "resembles a professional facility, with gleaming digital scoreboards, turf fields and expansive press boxes." One stadium in Katy is likely to become the "most expensive high school football stadium ever built." By the time the Katy complex opens, the district "will have eight high schools and each will play their football games at the 12,000-seat stadium." Officials in McKinney "want to build a 12,000-seat stadium and are hoping voters on May 7 approve a broad bond package" that includes $50.3M for the complex. Another $11M "would be spent for site preparation, infrastructure upgrades and other work" (AP, 5/1).
