The McKinney school district will hold its first game Thursday night at its new $69.9 million football stadium, despite large cracks found in the home and visitor concourses and the lower bowl wall.
Two investigative reports released so far say the cracks are not a life-and-safety concern. A third report hasn't been released yet, but the engineering firm Nelson Forensics has warned the cracks could widen and corrode the reinforcing steel without repair.
Still, that's a less severe problem than neighboring Allen ISD faced a few years ago. The district had to close its new football stadium for 15 months to make $10 million in repairs after cracks indicated the potential for collapse of a suspended concourse.
In McKinney, the new 12,000-seat facility replaces the 7,000-seat Ron Poe Stadium, built in 1962. Voters approved the divisive project in May 2016 as part of a $220 million bond package.
The stadium is one of now several massive — and massively expensive — pigskin palaces across the state. Allen started the trend in 2012 when it opened its $59.6 million, 18,000-seat Eagle Stadium. Last year, the Katy school district opened Legacy Stadium, which seats 12,000 and cost a whopping $72.2 million. In North Texas, Prosper ISD will open a $51 million football stadium in 2019 for another 12,000 fans.
The 2018 McKinney Classic at the MISD Stadium and Community Event Center:
— McKinney ISD (@mckinneyisd) August 22, 2018
Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 pm - McKinney North vs. McKinney High School
Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 pm - McKinney Boyd vs. Rowlett High School
Sat., Sept. 1 at 11pm - Prosper High School vs. Garland Naaman Forest
Take a look at the new stadium
Video from The Dallas Morning News
