Frisco ISD, City of Frisco and Hall Park pursue two separate performing arts facilities

(August 11, 2022) Following months of meticulous research and tireless efforts, the City of Frisco, Hall Group and the Frisco Independent School District (FISD) will move forward in different directions in their pursuit to develop two separate performing arts facilities.

FISD will continue to pursue building a Visual and Performing Arts Center with a 'students-first focus' on land already owned by the district.

The City of Frisco, along with its Community Development Corporation, will continue to partner with Hall Group to explore the construction of a world-class, community-centric and commercially viable performing arts center.

The storied partners will continue to collaborate on growing arts and culture in other ways, benefiting everyone in Frisco and Frisco ISD.

"We are thankful for the support and vision from the City of Frisco and Craig Hall throughout this partnership exploration," said René Archambault, Frisco ISD School Board President. "We share the same goal of an expanded and thriving arts community in Frisco, and we look forward to helping shape that future through increased opportunities for young people in the fine arts. The community's investment in arts education will ripple throughout our community for generations."

In June 2021, the public-private partners approved a master development agreement to build a $100 million performing arts center and associated parking garage*. In January of this year, the collective group engaged experts to conduct a feasibility study, spatial analysis and review the needs of community arts organizations.

However, due to each partner's unique priorities, responsibility to its stakeholders and cost concerns, the partners were prevented from moving forward as a collective group.

"We're grateful for such a thorough process," said Mayor Jeff Cheney. "We learned so much about the state of 'the arts' in our community. From the needs of our various arts and community groups to the dream of bringing Broadway to Frisco, the demand for arts has never been higher. As a result, I'm more confident than ever Frisco can support a premier performing arts facility benefiting the entire region. While this partnership project is changing direction, the district remains the city's most valued partner."

As part of an FISD bond package approved by voters in 2018, $43 million was earmarked for a 1,250-seat fine arts facility that includes gallery space, instructional training and office space. The fine arts facility will more than double the district's current audience capacity while providing expanded student opportunities for more collaboration on large-scale performances across its 75 campuses.

"Hall Group remains as committed as ever to increasing the accessibility of the arts for Frisco citizens, as has been the case since we began developing Hall Park and the Texas Sculpture Garden in the late 1990s," said Craig Hall, founder and chairman of Hall Group. "Frisco has had an impressive track record of successful public-private partnerships, and while this particular partnership has changed course, we are still actively supporting the City of Frisco's development of a programmed community park that will include many exciting art elements and we look forward to having more opportunities to work with these parties again in the future."

The City of Frisco and Frisco ISD public-private partnerships have resulted in numerous successful developments including Riders Field, Toyota Stadium, Comerica Center, The Ford Center at The Star and PGA of America, benefitting all city and district taxpayers.

* The total budgeted cost of the performing arts center, garage and park project was $130 million, which included $105 million in public funds.

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