By: Tom Behrens
Early voting totals for the November 8 school bond election show the majority of Lamar CISD voters were in favor of three out of five Propositions from its $1.7 billion bond package.
The 2022 bond proposal was prepared as a response to the exponential growth the district is projected to experience in the next 10 years. Population and Survey Analyst data predicts the community surrounding LCISD will add more than 65,000 new homes by fall of 2031, and 69,795 students will be enrolled in the district in 2031. Presently LCISD schools in Fulshear, Weston Lakes and Simonton communities include
Fletcher Morgan Elementary School, Roberts Middle School, Leaman Junior High School, and Fulshear Senior High School.
The biggest amount of spending would come through Proposition A, $1.3 billion to fund safety and security additions, renovate schools, build four new elementary campuses and a new middle school, purchase land, portable buildings, buses, and technology.
On Proposition B, voters approved $189 million for a career and technology center for its growing number of students in science and technology, engineering, and math studies.
Proposition C will provide $16,77 million for new student and staff laptops, iPads, and printers.
Propositions D and E were for upgrading Traylor Field and the construction of new football stadium. Almost 55 percent of votes cast were against the two propositions, projected to cost $4,98 million.
D would provide new turf and LED lighting for Traylor Stadium. E would authorize land purchase and construction of a second stadium. The new stadium would have 10,000 seats and would include band storage space, locker rooms and CTE classrooms. Total cost was projected at $194.9 million.
Lamar CISD has six high schools with a seventh high school tentatively planned to open in August 2025. The high schools are currently in three different competitive districts, each one with its own schedule. So far, LCISD’s Varsity games have averaged 3,546 attendees this year and 303 student participants (football, band, cheer, drill team, athletic trainers) per game. As LCISD grows, it will become impossible to schedule all necessary varsity football games at Traylor Stadium in the coming years. Lamar CISD will need a second stadium to facilitate the number of games, schools and teams that require the stadium for their events.
Traylor Stadium can currently host four games a week at most – Thursday, Friday nights, Saturday morning and Saturday night.
LCISD’s additional reasoning for the additional stadium is like what Katy ISD voiced in its need for Legacy Stadium. The difference is that the proposed LCISD stadium would have a seating capacity of 10,000 as compared to Legacy with a seating capacity of 12,000.
Saturday day games are not safe until the heat index falls below 90 degrees, which is usually in October, falling around week seven of the football season.
Without a second stadium, LCISD will be required to rent other local stadiums to meet scheduling needs. Local high school stadium rentals range in cost from $3,000 to $15,000 per game depending on the size of the stadium.
In addition to the rental rate, there would be a loss of ticketing revenue as “away” games draw smaller crowds. LCISD would also lose concession revenue when the LCISD teams played at other stadiums, which have averaged about $7,050 per game.
Traveling to other stadiums would also incur additional costs for student transportation and security.
A second stadium would allow LCISD to have more homecoming games on Friday nights and seat larger crowds with more parking available. The second stadium would also allow for more flexibility in scheduling and the attendance of additional performance groups at events. The stadium would provide improved facilities for student educational programs such as digital communications and culinary arts. It would also serve ROTC, Band, Track, and provide additional space to host graduation ceremonies.
The voter approved propositions, A, B, and C will provide for the first CTE Center and provide much needed support for Lamar Consolidate Independent School District students and staff through safety and security, buildings, and technology.
