BROOKSHIRE, Texas (Covering Katy News)—Royal ISD voters on Saturday approved a $68-72 million bond for a new football stadium and track, delivering a victory on the third attempt in six years after previous efforts to upgrade the district's aging athletics facilities fell short at the ballot box.
"We are absolutely over the moon about the bond passing," Royal ISD Superintendent Dr. Megan Pape said. "This has been a long time coming for our community and our district."
The design, market conditions and construction timing affect the final price, which is why there is a bond range instead of a fixed cost. The new stadium is expected to be built near the site of the new Royal High School on FM 362, south of FM 529 and north of the future Morton Road.
The stadium's multi-use design is intended to support fine arts and other school events in addition to football and track. The 7,500-seat stadium would include concessions, lighting, parking and a press box.
The district's website said the bond would be repaid through the district's Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate, which may only be used for voter-approved capital projects. The bond is estimated to increase the tax rate by about $0.0165 per $100 of taxable value. For a home valued at $250,000 after exemptions, this represents an estimated increase of approximately $17 per year.
Trustees to canvass results Monday
The Royal ISD Board of Trustees will meet Monday to canvass the election results — the formal process of reviewing and certifying the vote totals, a required step before the outcome becomes official.
With the bond certified, Pape said the board's immediate focus will be on deciding how to structure and manage the building process before any groundbreaking timeline can be set.
Pape did not have a date for the stadium groundbreaking or opening.
"I wish I did, and I'm anxious to know that too, but we've got to get through some of these next steps first before we could get a timeline like that," Pape said.
Third time is a charm
The winning result came on the third try in six years. In May 2025, voters rejected a $9.5 million bond for stadium renovations and improvements. In that same election, voters approved two other bonds — one for about $351 million for the construction, acquisition and equipment for new school buildings and related facilities, and another for $6 million for acquiring land for future school facilities.
In May 2023, voters rejected a $6.4 million bond that would have renovated Falcon Stadium and brought it up to current standards. In that same election, voters approved a $138 million bond for safety, security, new construction, renovations and technology infrastructure.
Following the last failed athletics bond, Pape said district leaders listened to community members about how best to move forward.
"When we did that, the community really landed on the possibility of a brand-new stadium near our new high school, because what we didn't know [earlier] was that we were going to have a new high school in a different location," Pape said.
A new stadium instead of renovating the current one
The current Falcon Stadium, at 33449 Royal Road in Brookshire, has been in use for more than 60 years and sits next to the current Royal High School campus. Pape said the district anticipates the field might be used for some junior high school events, but officials must first review a proposed stadium renovation report — issued before the May 2025 bond election — to decide how best to proceed.
Pape said she was excited and thrilled that voters approved the bond.
"We know that strong partnerships are what would improve our district for our kids," Pape said. "We just thank our entire community for their support. It took so many talented people to bring this to fruition."
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