- Alice ISD was presented with three options on the possible new football stadium.
- The options were detailed and gave a range for the cost - $39 to $53 million.
The Alice Independent School District’s school board continues to discuss the needs and potential cost for a new football stadium. It's left some community members concerned.
Safety is the driving force behind Alice ISD’s need for a new stadium. Memorial Stadium is nearly 80 years old and is showing its age.
As KIS 6 News reported, a recent evaluation and inspection of the stadium was released to the district in October 2023. However, the district released the report to the community in January of this year.
“If there was such dramatic worry about the stadium safety why weren’t measures to shut down and find alternative sites undertaken,” Alice resident Ron Burke said.
Ron Burke is a retired educator from Alice ISD. His main concern is that the stadium problem didn’t happen overnight, and taxpayers are now expected to vote, with board approval, on a multimillion dollar bond.
Safety issues from the evaluation report state the separation of the bleachers, rusted and unattached railings, mold in the locker rooms, among other issues.
To combat these safety concerns, the board was presented with three options.
Option 1 would be demolishing and rebuilding memorial stadium at its current location with a cost of $39 million.
This option would comprise parking and the need to find transportation. This option would also mean the relocation of the bus barn transportation vehicles and offices. This has not be factored into the cost.
Option 2 would be to build a stadium on approximately 45 acres near the Alice International Airport with a cost of $53 million.
This option does take account of infrastructure like water and sewer.
Or option 3, which would be building a stadium on the east side of the Alice High School where the current Coyote Trail is located, across the nursing home. The cost is between $39 to $40 million.
This option, according to PBK Sports, gives the board the possibility to continue to use Memorial Stadium for track and field. However, they would need to remove the bleachers.
Current costs do not include the demolition of those bleachers and the addition of new bleachers.
Alice ISD has been hosting public tours of the Memorial Stadium so that the community can see for themselves.
Valerie Mejia, Alice ISD parent and taxpayer, attended Thursday’s tour and she believes something needs to change.
“We need to update this. We need to upgrade this. This is not safe. Not just for our athletic children, but for the community. Having to see these cracks. Having to see crevices. Having to see the rust on this building – its unsafe. So, I am absolutely open for the cost. I’m open to any proposal that they put up,” Mejia said.
Mejia, who attends Friday night football games, was unaware of the conditions until she saw it with her own eyes. She said she trusts the school board members will make the right decision.
The superintendent told the board they expect to meet again before deciding what comes next.
A final decision on a bond proposal would need to be made in the upcoming weeks to meet the February election deadline.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
