On Thursday night, McKinney Independent School District’s new stadium will open on time for the inaugural game.
There are almost 12,000 seats in the arena that cost $69.9 million to build. Over the year, there were concerns about cracks found on the concrete inside. The stadium will host football and soccer season this school year despite the cracks. The district says the cracks are cosmetic issues and there is no structural problem.
“The current plan is to play the football season, play the soccer season, and repairs in the various concrete issues will occur in spring,” said Curtis Rippee, President of the Board of Trustees.
Besides football and softball, students across McKinney ISD will benefit from the stadium’s features. Cheerleaders, band members and the drill team will use the field, even broadcast journalism students will be able to learn on site.
“Those kids are here, involved and participating. And I think that’s what makes Friday Night Lights special. It truly is a community event,” said Athletic Director Shawn Pratt.
The high school football teams were able to practice on the new field this week. Superintendent Dr. Rick Daniel said, “There is no way for me to express fully the excitement that we saw in their eyes when they stepped on the field for the first time. It is truly why we built this.”
Dr. Daniel is looking forward to seeing the community’s reaction on opening night.