The new stadium is expected to have 12,000 seats.[/caption]

The total cost for Katy ISD’s second football stadium—a 12,000-seat facility adjacent to Rhodes Stadium on Franz Road—has increased by $4.4 million.

Denisse Cantu Coffman, director of communications for KISD, said the construction of required underground electrical infrastructure will cost an additional $1.5 million and the build out of shell space on the second floor of the stadium adds an extra $2.9 million to the final cost.

“[The $1.5 million] is for the infrastructure which was recommended by a traffic study done by Harris County,” Cantu Coffman said. “The build out of the shell space on the second flood of the stadium, that’ll be offices that will be needed.”

There will be multiple offices on the second floor for several groups, including the KISD Police Department, athletics department coaching staff and athletics trainers, she said.

The extra $4.4 million raises the cost of the stadium to $62 million. The additional funding comes from savings the district had from the 2010 bond package approved by voters, Cantu Coffman said.

The original cost of the second stadium—$57.6 million—was funded from the 2014 bond package.

“The money [for the new expenses] had been set aside since 2010,” Cantu Coffman said.

She said there has been a need for a second stadium in the district for several years, primarily because all seven of the district’s high schools use Rhodes Stadium for games.

“Currently, with all [the high schools] playing there, they had to play Saturday games [and] Thursday games, in addition to the Friday games,” she said. “Logistically speaking, it is extremely challenging. Scheduling has been a nightmare.”

KISD officials broke ground on the stadium Feb. 5. It is located to the north of Rhodes Stadium at 5105 Franz Road. It is set to open in fall 2017 in time for football season.