When I was a student at Mizzou back in the 90s, I remember reading articles where potential recruits would say things like, “my high school facilities were better than what Missouri has.” Back in the ’90s, that was true. Since then, the athletic department has upgraded Faurot Field and turned it into an excellent college football venue. Many other universities have also invested millions in facility upgrades.
But some high schools have also upgraded their facilities. Check out this one:
Just in case you forgot how important high school football is in Texas, the residents of Allen will soon have a $59.6 million stadium that will leave no doubt.
Next month in the booming north Dallas suburb, ground will be broken on a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat facility that will feature two decks, a video scoreboard, four concession stands and 12 restrooms. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.
Dallas Jackson, the author, further writes that the stadium was part of a larger capital-only $120 million bonding bill, and it ate up half the budget. The rest of the bill went to other non-sports capital projects in the school district. He implies that this should shoot down any “stereotypes that Texans care more about touchdowns than textbooks… .”
While it is undoubtedly true that the good folks in and around Allen care more about their kids’ education than a new football stadium in the grand scheme of things, 50% of the bill went to build an HS football stadium suggests otherwise at the margin. The opportunity cost of a new high school football stadium is other capital projects geared more towards the mind than the body.
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