Texas High School to Build $59.6 Million Stadium

Friday nights have always been big in Allen, Texas, but beginning in 2012, they will be even bigger.

This is Texas, of course.

Ground has been broken on an $59.6 million stadium for the Allen High Eagles, one of the powerhouse teams in the state. The facility will seat 18,000, have a video scoreboard, separate seating for students and band and a wall of honor to recognize former players.

By comparison, Central Florida's Bright House Networks Stadium, which seats 45,000 and opened in 2007, cost $54 million.

Allen's stadium was part of a $120 million bond package passed in May 2009. Money is also being used to build a state-of-the-art auditorium.

"The new stadium has been discussed for a number of years and the bond was passed," coach Tom Westerberg said. "We are very excited to get this project done and get in there and play."

Allen's existing stadium was built in the 1970s and seats 7,000, but officials say it has outlived it usefulness. The north Dallas suburb has experienced booming growth in recent years and the powerhouse team played before 50,000 last season at the new Texas Stadium in Irving.

"We finally maxed out on growth," said Tim Carroll, the public information director for the district.

"[The cost] may appear high to other parts of the country, but it compares to what people are doing here. It becomes an economy of scale."

The high school, built in 2000, has more than 600,000 square feet and an enrollment of 3,900 students between the 10th-12th grades.

Thanks to the Midwest Correspondent.

Comments

[Dingo Dango]

I've been to the UCF stadium, it is a joke.

[meatybob]

I live in Allen. In no other state in the country would the old Allen stadium honestly merit this comment...

"Allen's existing stadium was built in the 1970s and seats 7,000, but officials say it has outlived it usefulness."

The stadium is fine. Yes, it had bleacher seating, all high schools outside of Texas have bleacher seating. Fing only in Texas. Also, that bond measure was a part of a $250 overall bond measure (ignore the $120M, there is no way that is right) where the money was for new buses, maintenance for classrooms, the new fine arts auditorium, etc., so one had to vote for all of it or none of it. And since the vote was in May in an off election year, only around 3000 people even other to vote. So the Allen ISD employees all voted for it, so it passed.