Project representatives from Theatre Project Consultants Inc. and Keen Independent Research returned to Frisco to give an update on the Performing Arts Complex progress.
Since their last update in October, project consultants and council members have toured various performing arts venues across the country.
The theme chosen to set the tone for the work session was “Frisco Forever,” Mayor Jeff Cheney said. It encapsulates council's dedication to bringing long-term, generational projects such as the arts complex to the community, he said.
“Our success is continuing to grow,” council member Tammy Meinershagen said. “All eyes are on Frisco right now.”
The breakdown
Now that council members have seen some real-life examples from their tours, city officials can move ahead in the planning stage before a final presentation and approval of the project in March 2025, said Gena Buhler, an associate principal with Theatre Project Consultants.
“[The next phase] is looking at [a] funding study, it is doing some pretty intense community engagement, and it's also looking at economic impact,” she said.
Touring venues reinforced the idea that Frisco is capable of running its own because of the city’s success with The Star and local conference centers, Cheney said.
“We were walking through [thinking], ‘We know how to do all that,’” he said.
Plans for Frisco’s complex include:
- A large hall for Broadway shows and major events
- Community hall for regional or local arts performances
- Flexible performance space for events and shows
- Connected outdoor spaces
- Social club model for private member experience
Keep in mind
Not including aid from partnerships, the complex could cost between $300 million-$400 million to build depending on which features and fixtures make the cut, Buhler said. Additional costs for utilities and demolition could come later once a site is officially selected.
“When you talk about ‘Frisco Forever,’ and these 50-year type projects and changing the soul of your community, it sometimes takes these moments in time where you're willing to push all in and say, ‘I am all in for making Frisco the world-class city that we claim we are,’” Cheney said.
Stay tuned
Council members will continue to hear updates from consultants as the planning phase continues, City Manager Wes Pierson said.
“There’s still more work to do,” he said. “No decisions have been made.”
Community engagement meetings are expected to be held this spring before council hears another update at their next summer work session, according to a Theatre Projects schedule. Further discussions surrounding groundbreaking and an opening date are expected to be held closer to when city officials make their final decision on the project in March 2025.
In the meantime, residents can check in on progress themselves at www.theatreprojects.com/friscoplanning.
