Soccer fans ready to get kicking in Frisco

[AreliusII]

Public-private project opens this weekend


07:59 PM CDT on Sunday, July 31, 2005

By BILL LODGE and ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News


FRISCO – An $80 million soccer complex built from a partnership between local governments and a private operator is poised to open Friday.

But as fans and athletes descend on Pizza Hut Park, they will see an incomplete coliseum and a construction schedule headed for overtime.

Hard hats and heavy equipment still ruled the 144-acre soccer site in the northeast corner of Dallas Parkway and Main Street last week.

Heavy rains and additions to the original complex plan pushed construction to the brink of the approaching national adult soccer championships. And some of the parking lots and a few amenities will not be completed until later this year.

Scores of amateur teams and leagues have events scheduled at the site, which includes 17 soccer and football fields.

"At this point, we're anticipating that we'll be able to host all the tournaments and leagues we had planned," said Shawn McGee, senior director of soccer business development for FC Dallas, the park's pro team.

"Between tournament games and league games, that will probably be thousands of events before the end of the year."

Despite work yet to be done, city officials are hoping for a big turnout starting Friday, when people are expected to begin rolling into Frisco's restaurants and hotels as the park hosts the three-day National Cup competition of the United States Adult Soccer Association.

And more are expected Saturday, when FC Dallas plays the first Major League Soccer game in its new home.

The complex cost $55 million in public money and as much as $25 million from Hunt Sports Group, an affiliate of the Lamar Hunt family's Hunt Capital Group.

The city of Frisco, Collin County and the Frisco school district all pledged taxpayer dollars for the facility.

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Frisco poured in $20 million and retained ownership of the 21,000-seat stadium and soccer complex. Therefore, Hunt Sports Group, as park operator, will not owe any property taxes.

The city expects to recover its investment from increased sales taxes.

The school district will have use of the pro stadium and some of the adjacent fields.

Collin County hopes to benefit from increased property taxes from businesses and residents attracted to the area.

Hunt Sports Group agreed to put $10 million into the original funding formula and later added an additional $15 million.

It also promised to perform all maintenance at Pizza Hut Park for 20 years and pay annual rent of $100,000 to Frisco.

Pizza Hut pays $25 million over 20 years to Hunt Sports Group and FC Dallas for naming rights, Pizza Hut spokeswoman Julie Hildebrand said.

City officials said they did not obtain revenue projections before they signed their project agreement in April 2003.

"We just don't have the numbers on what those sales taxes will be," Mayor Mike Simpson said. "I don't know how we could calculate that."


KARL STOLLEIS / Special to DMN
The FC Dallas logo adorns seats at the end of each row at the new Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. Because of the city's continuing growth and soccer's increasing popularity, Mr. Simpson said, the complex is certain to become profitable for taxpayers.

"We definitely feel we're going to get our money back," Mr. Simpson said.

People shouldn't worry about the lack of a revenue projection, said Assistant City Manager Scott Young.

"We're very confident everybody's going to get their money's worth," he said.

The Hunt group's agreement to shoulder all cost overruns has already paid dividends for Frisco taxpayers, Mr. Young said.

"The job now is over $80 million," he said. "That [extra $15 million] is their cost."

He explained that many of those costs are tied to improvements the Hunt group made along the way, including a permanent stage.

That stage will attract performers for concerts and other entertainment, the assistant city manager said.

"We expect over a million visitors a year," Mr. Young said.


'A quality facility'

Collin County and Frisco school district officials are as optimistic about the soccer center as Mr. Simpson and Mr. Young.

Rusty Craig, the school district's finance director, said the district's $15 million debt on the project would be retired within 20 years.

Superintendent Rick Reedy said construction of Pizza Hut Park eliminated the district's need for a new football stadium, which would have cost taxpayers about $23.5 million.

Locker rooms aren't finished at the soccer stadium, so only one football game will be played there this fall – Frisco High vs. Centennial High on Oct. 1.

"We're a little disappointed, but we know it will be a quality facility when it's done," the superintendent said.

"I would rather make sure it's constructed properly than rush into it and find out flaws later on."

Starting in 2006, all varsity football games will be played at the new facility, Dr. Reedy said.

He said the Hunt group's agreement to maintain all facilities at the complex will save the school district $500,000 a year.


'Economic engine'

Collin County put $20 million into Pizza Hut Park.

Unlike Frisco, the county won't receive any sales tax from the park or the area surrounding it.

Unlike the school district, the county won't have special use of the stadium or the 17 other fields.

Instead, county officials are banking on millions in additional property-tax revenue from development spurred by the athletic complex.

"It will be an incredible economic engine once it gets up and running," County Commissioner Jerry Hoagland said.

"Hotels will be built that would not have been built as a result of that stadium. Restaurants will be built that would not have been built."

All that development will easily cover the public's portion of the construction costs, said Commissioner Phyllis Cole.

"To me, it's a fantastic joint venture between the city, schools and the county," she said.

Bob Black, executive director of North Texas Soccer, is equally optimistic about the park's prospects for revenue production.

"There's no place else that has this many fields of this caliber and a stadium of this caliber – all in a location that is in the heart of everything, as far as access to major airports, hotels, shopping and restaurants," Mr. Black said.

But he is even more excited about Pizza Hut Park's chance to increase soccer's nationwide visibility.

"This has been the dream of the sport, to be able to build a soccer-specific stadium with surrounding fields to hold major events," Mr. Black said.

"It doesn't get any better than this. Undoubtedly, this will be the finest soccer complex in the country and, arguably, the best in the world."

E-mail blodge [at] dallasnews.com and ehousewright [at] dallasnews.com

PIZZA HUT PARK BY THE NUMBERS
The $80 million complex was paid for by four groups.

Frisco: $20 million
(includes $5 million from the Frisco Economic Development Corp. and the Frisco Community Development Corp.)

Collin County: $20 million

Frisco school district: $15 million

Hunt Sports Group: $25 million
(includes $15 million overrun because of rain delays and plan enhancements)

SOURCE: City of Frisco