DES MOINES (AP) — The Des Moines School Board voted to move forward on a nearly $20 million high school and middle school sports stadium in partnership with Drake University, despite pushback from some district patrons.
On Tuesday, the city’s school board unanimously approved design and rental agreements with Drake University and the design firm. All but $4.5 million of the stadium’s $19.5 million cost will come from state funds.
Critics who spoke at Tuesday’s board meeting said the funding should go toward improving schools and existing stadiums. The opposition group Save Our Stadiums also presented a petition with more than 7,100 signatures to try to force the project to a public vote, but district officials said the signatures didn’t meet the state law threshold of 30% of those who voted in school board elections last fall.
The 4,000-seat stadium will be the home field for four of the district’s five high school football teams and will be home for all of the district’s soccer teams. Drake also will use the field for its soccer teams.