What You Get For $14 Million Dollars!

FirefightnRick · July 17, 2008

Here's what you get for $14 Million Bucks. I had to go down 287 to Midlothian this morning to look into buying some old one by lumber off of a torn down farm house for a project I'm working on for the kids. And I couldn't believe what I saw when I got to their new $14 Million high school football stadium. I believe it opened in '07. Simply amazing. I'm guessing it seats around 10,000? The press box was amazing as it has two elevators, two separate levels of luxury boxes, or at least they look that way. The entire thing is done in an attractive looking stone block and glass. Notice the corner endzone seating? Both of the south corners have seating right behind the endzone on each side. There's a concession stand up on each of the 4 concourses. Even the outside parking lots are attractive with how they did the trees, shrubs and old style lamp posts. Today some sign company had a crane set up installing a new lighted rolling sign on the back of the massive score board and jumbo tron. Hard to believe little Ol' Midlothian could afford this? Are they still 3A or 4A?

Rick

Edited July 17, 2008 by FirefightnRick

Mean Green 93-98 · July 17, 2008

I haven't been to Midlothian in probably 12 years or so. It must really have boomed since then, is all I can say.

FirefightnRick · July 17, 2008

Visitors' side.

Rick

The Fake Lonnie Finch · July 17, 2008

Wylie has a pretty good football stadium, too.

<sigh...why can't we just have a good stadium, Lord?>

I'd be extremely happy if we just eliminated the track around the field and moved the seating closer. Do that and put some half-a**ed facade around the whole facility. I'd be happy with that much. At this point, I really, really would. I'd even help spackle if need be...really, I would...I have my own putty knife!

FirefightnRick · July 17, 2008

I have my own putty knife!

Rick

MeanGreen61 · July 17, 2008

Saw a post on another board re: FAU's stadium hopes. Seems they will be trying to stay within a $ 48Million expense by going with an "erector set" type aluminum seat stadium that is projected to cost $1,600 per seat. Apparently a 30,000 seater probably similar to what UCF put up. Of course they've got to find the money.

Edited July 17, 2008 by MeanGreen61

DeepGreen · July 17, 2008

Here's what you get for $14 Million Bucks. I had to go down 287 to Midlothian this morning to look into buying some old one by lumber off of a torn down farm house for a project I'm working on for the kids. And I couldn't believe what I saw when I got to their new $14 Million high school football stadium. I believe it opened in '07. Simply amazing. I'm guessing it seats around 10,000? The press box was amazing as it has two elevators, two separate levels of luxury boxes, or at least they look that way. The entire thing is done in an attractive looking stone block and glass. Notice the corner endzone seating? Both of the south corners have seating right behind the endzone on each side. There's a concession stand up on each of the 4 concourses. Even the outside parking lots are attractive with how they did the trees, shrubs and old style lamp posts. Today some sign company had a crane set up installing a new lighted rolling sign on the back of the massive score board and jumbo tron. Hard to believe little Ol' Midlothian could afford this? Are they still 3A or 4A?
Rick

Amazing what you can do with TAXPAYERS money! Port Neches-Groves is re-doing their stadium; new stands, concessions, pressbox, restrooms, field turf(or some equivalent). Courtesy of a bond issue. I'll post pictures when it's completed.

GabeGMG · July 17, 2008

I'd rather have that stadium than fouts...even if the capacity was only 10,000 =)

FirefightnRick · July 17, 2008

I'd rather have that stadium than fouts...even if the capacity was only 10,000 =)

I would too, and it wouldn't take much to add to that stadium. I doubt we could get the capacity up to 35 to 40 K without adding a second level, but it could be done.

Rick

MDH · July 17, 2008

I'd rather have that stadium than fouts...even if the capacity was only 10,000 =)

Agreed.

This reminds me of a small scale of Romney Stadium in a way...maybe it's just the colors that are throwing my judgment!

SilverEagle · July 17, 2008

This one is just down the road from fouts, and it looks like it might have twice the capacity of Midlothian stadium. I don't know how much it cost, but when I was attending Decatur HS (60's), Northwest was playing in what looked like a cow pasture with bleachers on either side.

Now look.

http://www.texasbob.com/stadium/stadium.php?id=299

FirefightnRick · July 17, 2008

This one is just down the road from fouts, and it looks like it might have twice the capacity of Midlothian stadium. I don't know how much it cost, but when I was attending Decatur HS (60's), Northwest was playing in what looked like a cow pasture with bleachers on either side.
Now look.
http://www.texasbob.com/stadium/stadium.php?id=299

Northwest's stadium is freakin nice as well. But, in that photo, and it may be old, I don't know. But it doesn't have the 4 concession stands in the endzones and no Jumbo Tron scoreboard that the Midlothian stadium currently has.

Still, pretty damn nice.

Rick

gangrene · July 17, 2008

Ok, if we're going to lower our expectations to wishing for a high school football stadium (and I'm not saying we shouldn't based on the latest news), let's at least wish for the best.

How about CFISD's (Cypress-Fairbanks, near Houston) the Berry Center Stadium:

Maybe we could even afford a new basketball arena like CFISD's new Berry Center Arena?

Edited July 17, 2008 by gangrene

gangrene · July 17, 2008

A few more pics of Berry Stadium:

MeanGreenEagle · July 17, 2008

FTW!

Little Elm's stadium is amazing too.

MeanGreen61 · July 18, 2008

http://www.hsfootballweb.com/stadium.htm

Dodge2007 · July 18, 2008

The common denominator is no freaking track. Tracks ruin a football stadium, end of story.

Cerebus · July 18, 2008

The common denominator is no freaking track. Tracks ruin a football stadium, end of story.

I think the common denominator is passing the bill along to the tax payers.

Eagle1855 · July 18, 2008

Amazing what you can do with TAXPAYERS money! Port Neches-Groves is re-doing their stadium; new stands, concessions, pressbox, restrooms, field turf(or some equivalent). Courtesy of a bond issue.

some might say we've lost sight of what is important in our society... Im looking at you too, BERRY CENTER.

jperg2 · July 18, 2008

http://www.hsfootballweb.com/stadium.htm

Four of the Six stadiums on that first page have tracks around them. Does that mean Fouts Field is the equivalent to a high school stadium? :ph34r:

FirefightnRick · July 19, 2008

Ok, if we're going to lower our expectations to wishing for a high school football stadium (and I'm not saying we shouldn't based on the latest news), let's at least wish for the best.
How about CFISD's (Cypress-Fairbanks, near Houston) the Berry Center Stadium:

Maybe we could even afford a new basketball arena like CFISD's new Berry Center Arena?

HOLY $HIT!!! Are you kidding me?????????

Still though, a bit over the $14 Million mark I'd say.

Rick

gangrene · July 19, 2008

HOLY $HIT!!! Are you kidding me?????????
Still though, a bit over the $14 Million mark I'd say.
Rick

Yes, you are right about that...it's a bit more that $14 million although I can't find a cost for the football stadium alone. They contructed five facilities for a grand total of $72.9 million. Berry Center overview

bandgeek · July 19, 2008

HOLY $HIT!!! Are you kidding me?????????
Still though, a bit over the $14 Million mark I'd say.
Rick

FWIW, my parents live extremely close to the Barry Center and told me the facility is almost always being used. They are having major concerts out there throughout the summer and while I was visiting last week a corporation (i can't remember which one) had rented out the basketball complex to host a weeklong seminar.... I'd say as long as they have someone in their administration that can book these kind of events, it softens the blow of the price tag. Besides, now all of the CY-Fair schools can host their own graduations instead of renting out the Astrodome or another ISD's facility.

The sad part is after they open the new high schools this year, and two more next year? they will need to build another stadium to keep from playing varsity football every Wed - Sat. Pretty amazing.