College Station ISD has teed up a $53 million bond package for voters to mull over in the upcoming May elections, with hopes that the second charm will push through upgrades for their athletics facilities. After striking out last year when similar propositions were shot down by voters, the district's Board of Trustees is unanimously pushing to renovate and upgrade both A&M Consolidated and College Station High School complexes.
According to KENS 5, the roster of upgrades includes a new, beefy weight room, coaches' offices reshuffle, and an expanded sports medicine area at A&M Consolidated High School. Fans could also see seating capacity boosted to 6,300 from lower numbers at both schools' athletic stadiums, among other improvements. Oh, and don’t forget the new scoreboards and LED lights, which are sure to light up the next home game.
On the financial side of the play, the district believes it can cover the new bond with just a two cent increase voted in last November, and Hilltop Securities, CSISD's financial advisor, has assured that taxpayers won't see a hike in rates. The bulk of the proposed budget, a whopping $40,200,000, will go towards the first three propositions, which include the lion’s share of the upgrades, as disclosed by MSN.
It's worth noting that the previous proposition’s crash and burn didn’t affect security and technology enhancements, which voters passed without a hitch. This time around, the trustees seem confident, the bench is warm, and with no additional tax rate increase on the scoreboard, they're betting the community will rally to build more than just muscle at their high schools' gymnasiums. Moreover, the baseball and softball fields are not left on the bench, with tailored improvements including expanded seating and renovated press boxes catering to the sports' specific needs. And yes, they’re also getting some of that sweet, sweet artifical turf.
So, as May 4 approaches, local citizens will be the referees deciding the fate of College Station ISD's athletic landscape. Will they call it a home run, or will it be another swing and a miss? Either way, College Station is looking to step up their game, and it's the voters who will be umpiring that final score.
