Frisco residents voted down two propositions aimed at raising $340 million for a performing arts center — a price tag opponents said would be too heavy of a burden on the city.
Propositions A and B lagged all night among voters in Frisco, which encompasses parts of Collin and Denton counties.
In Collin County, propositions A and B was rejected by 60% and 65% of voters, respectively, according to unofficial returns. In Denton County, about 59% of voters rejected proposition A and about 64% rejected proposition B.
Proposition A would have allowed Frisco to use funds from its Economic Development Corp. for the bulk of the money needed to build what would have been known as the Frisco Center for the Arts.
Its companion measure, Proposition B, would have authorized the city to raise as much as $160 million in bonds.
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The measures were hotly debated among candidates vying for two seats on the City Council.
Supporters of the project had said the proposed arts center could have been a major draw for Collin County, while detractors have criticized the high costs to build the facility.
Plans included a 2,800-seat theater and a community hall with a capacity for about 400 seats.
Edmund De Guzman, who submitted his ballot Saturday afternoon at Frisco Fire Station 5, said he voted against the two measures.
“I think it‘s not the right time to do it,” De Guzman said. “I think we should put this money to other areas that we‘re needing.”
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City staff and supporters of the project have said bonds issued to build the arts center would not increase property tax rates and that the city will pay off the debt using funds from the city’s Community Development Corp., Economic Development Corp. and commercial property tax revenue.
The Prosper school district had said it would provide up to $100 million to build the center — a commitment that Greg Bradley, the district‘s deputy superintendent, had said would have to be reconsidered if the propositions failed.
In the months leading up to the election, city officials also announced major partnerships involving Broadway Dallas and Broadway Across America for the programming, maintenance and operation of the center. All but one sitting member of the city council has publicly supported the project.
Frisco arts advocate Amy Hardin, though disappointed, said she‘s not giving up on her dream of having a performing arts center in the city.
“I’m never going to walk away and say that we shouldn’t have an arts center,” Hardin said. “I’ve said it for 20 years and I’m not going to change because of this election.”
She said she is now focusing on the runoff elections for city council candidates for Place 2 and Place 4.
“It‘s going to be a huge turning point for anything arts-related in the city,” Hardin said.
In the City Council race for Place 2, Burt Thakur and incumbent Tammy Meinershagen were leading with about 43% and 41%, respectively.
Meinershagen is closely associated with Frisco’s efforts to build a performing arts center. Thakur and her other opponent, Sai Krishnarajanagar had campaigned against the center.
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Financial adviser Jared Elad and Gopal Ponangi, who recently served on the Frisco school board, will likely head to runoffs for Place 4 on city council.
Elad got about 38% of the vote and Ponangi received just over 25%, unofficial returns showed.
If no candidate garners more than half of the votes, the top two candidates will head to a runoff election in June.
Frisco voters also decided on 12 charter amendments, which included raises for city’s mayor and council members and language to be in line with state law. The city’s charter was last amended in 2019.
In both Collin and Denton counties, more than 60% of voters rejected the amendment that would provide raises for elected officials, unofficial returns showed.
