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Texas town opens nation's most expensive high school football stadium

By Ray Downs
The Katy Independent School District opened its Legacy Stadium Thursday, the most expensive high school football stadium in the country. Photo courtesy Katy ISD/VLK Architects/Vimeo
The Katy Independent School District opened its Legacy Stadium Thursday, the most expensive high school football stadium in the country. Photo courtesy Katy ISD/VLK Architects/Vimeo

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A small town in southeast Texas unveiled its brand-new $70 million high school football stadium, the most expensive such venue in the country -- for now.

Legacy Stadium in Katy, which has a population of about 14,000 people, will be able to seat 12,000 spectators. More than just a football field for one town, it'll serve as the playing grounds for all varsity football games in the Katy Independent School District, which encompasses several towns outside Houston and has eight high school football teams.

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The cost of the stadium was originally supposed to be $58 million when Katy voters approved a $748 million bond referendum three years ago, reported the Houston Chronicle. That price estimate was approved by voters who rejected a $69 million price tag for a new stadium the year before. But since construction began, costs ballooned to $72.1 million.

Despite the extra $14 million that taxpayers didn't vote for, but will still end up paying, Katy officials aren't concerned.

"It's something that this community wanted," Katy ISD Superintendent Lance Hindt told KTRK-TV. "I don't think the cost was anything that they really looked into."

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With the final $72 million cost, Katy's Legacy Stadium currently holds the title for most expensive high school football stadium in the United States. But that title might not last long because in Texas, high school football is taken seriously -- and serious money is spent on venues.

In 2015, the most expensive high school football stadium title belonged to Allen ISD, near Dallas, when it opened its new $60 million digs.

Two years later, McKinney ISD, also near Dallas, broke ground on its $69.9 million stadium. At the time, it was supposed to have the most expensive venue, but Katy's extra costs allowed the suburban Houston district to steal the title.

However, if costs in McKinney increase by a bit more than $2 million, it could overtake Katy.

Katy ISD Legacy Stadium Dedication Ceremony Teaser 3 from VLK Architects on Vimeo.

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