The letter of intent, which is a non-binding document, brings Broadway Across America into a public-private partnership between the city of Frisco and Prosper ISD to build the arts center, according to an Oct. 28 news release.
Broadway Across America also runs Broadway Dallas and would create a similar “Broadway Frisco” series to the center, according to the release.
The vision for the Frisco Center of the Arts includes:
- A 2,800-seat performance hall, capable of accommodating Broadway and large touring and community productions
- A 300 to 400-seat community hall to be used primarily by Prosper ISD while also providing access to community organizations and events
- Support spaces, rehearsal areas and visual arts creative spaces
“Reflecting the population growth and interest in arts and culture across North Texas, we look forward to creating a new Broadway Frisco series for the community while we continue to present Broadway Dallas at the Music Hall at Fair Park and the AT&T Performing Arts Center,” said Ken Novice, president of Broadway Dallas, in the release.
In case you missed it
Members of PISD’s board of trustees discussed partnering with the city of Frisco as a possibility during an Oct. 21 meeting.
As of Oct. 28, all plans are still preliminary. District officials hope to sign their own letter of intent with Frisco and continue pursuing the idea further, Deputy Superintendent Greg Bradley said during the meeting.
A location for the Frisco Center for the Arts has not been chosen but city officials previously said they are looking to pick a site by January 2025. If plans are finalized, the center would be built somewhere inside the roughly seven square miles of land shared by the district and city, according to the release.
“We are excited about the possibility of partnering with the city of Frisco to provide a world-class educational opportunity for our students,” PISD Superintendent Holly Ferguson said in the release. “This collaboration would allow our teachers and students to produce campus and district concerts, musicals, and theatrical productions while also participating in Broadway-level productions with outside partners.”
The idea of bringing a performing arts center to Frisco has been discussed for almost two decades, Mayor Jeff Cheney said in the release. Discussions have picked up in recent months as consultants narrowed down a Broadway partner that could help fund the project and fill the nearly 3,000 seats.
The cost
The Frisco Center for the Arts would need to be a bond-funded project, according to the release.
“Ultimately, the decision to participate will be up to Frisco voters if the proposed project, Frisco Center for the Arts, is placed on a ballot by the City Council in 2025,” Cheney said in the release.
As of Oct. 28, building the center is expected to cost no more than $340 million. Prosper ISD would be able to contribute $100 million from a 2023 bond related to a performing arts center with the rest coming from a Frisco bond and other private and philanthropic sources, according to the release.
If Frisco voters approve the project, the city has some available funds that would not raise the property tax rate, according to the release.
Stay tuned
Frisco City Council members are expected to discuss the project further during a Nov. 5 meeting.
More information on the Frisco Center for the Arts project itself can be found here.
