Tolleson Union High School District board votes against building $80M domed football stadium

A Tolleson school board voted Tuesday against building a widely criticized $80 million domed football stadium.

Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Jeremy Calles is a strong proponent of building the first domed high school stadium in Maricopa County as part of a planned new school facility.

He argued it’s necessary to protect students from the Arizona heat and would be a valuable space.

“It's hot and it's even hotter on turf. So, keeping our students in an air-conditioned environment, yes, to me, it's much safer for them than having them play outside,” Calles said at Tuesday’s meeting.

He said the stadium could be used for other events, like convocation ceremonies, and could save the district money long term. For last year’s graduation ceremony, Calles said the district spent more than $270,000 renting State Farm Stadium in Glendale, but with the proposed project, they wouldn’t have to go there anymore.

Chelsey Heath/KJZZ

“We cannot vilify ideas,” Calles said. “Ideas are welcome because that’s how we get better.”

He added that people may be getting the wrong idea when they hear about a domed football stadium, and said it wouldn’t be on the scale of others like the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Calles encouraged the board to think of the Tolleson project more like the Colorado River Union High School District covered stadium in Bullhead City, which cost about $33 million.

But the proposal has drawn ardent criticism from community members and lawmakers over the last few months who feel the stadium would cost far too much taxpayer money.

The stadium has become part of an ongoing feud between Calles and House Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), who recently voted for a financial audit of the district.

Also, earlier this month, Tolleson voters rejected a set of bond and override measures. Calles told KTAR that he believes coverage of the financial audit contributed to the election results.

The board voted unanimously to build a less expensive, uncovered stadium.

Gress celebrated the vote on social media, calling it “A WIN FOR TAXPAYERS!!!”