New Texas HS football stadium will seat 10 times its student body
The old saying goes, "Everything is bigger in Texas, but Melissa High School, just outside of Dallas, is taking the phrase literally.
The Cardinals recently unveiled a state-of-the-art stadium that cost $35M. However, the kicker is that the available seating (10,000) is nearly enough to hold the 10-times its student body (1,300).
The newly named Kenny Deel stadium has a boatload of features, including a five-story press box, two VIP rooms, two sky perches and special sections for home and visiting coaches and radio announcers, per Crossland Construction, who built the stadium.
Furthermore, the fans' experience will be enhanced, with the stadium featuring common areas, with multiple concession stands and restrooms.
However, the newly named Kenny Deel Stadium is one of many gigantic football stadiums in the area. In 2012, nearby Allen High School built a $60M-18,000 seat stadium. Meanwhile, McKinney High opened its new $69.9M-12,000-seat stadium in 2018, equipped with a 50x30 high-definition video board.
From an outsider's perspective, many would believe only the best-of-the-best high school programs would build a stadium at the magnitude of Melissa High's new cathedral.
However, the Cardinals are a 5A Division II team who won their last title back in 2012. In 2022, Melissa High finished 11-2, falling to South Oak Cliff in the division quarterfinals
There's no denying that football is king in Texas, especially at the high school level. And while monstrous football stadiums are nothing new to the Longhorn State, it's always a sight to see when a new one pops up.
While some might find it to be overkill, as gigantic football-only stadiums aren't exactly commonplace around the country, it's a culture that's seemingly only growing in Texas. So, while Melissa High's new digs are impressive, they're bound to be topped sooner rather than later.
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