New high school football stadium groundbreaking in Katy

KATY - Katy ISD officially breaks ground on its second stadium, celebrating the day for both its athletes and musicians.

"We truly do want the best for our kids," said Superintendent Alton Frailey, referring to the message sent when voters approved the most recent bond referendum. "They said yes, and I want to thank the community for their support in making this possible."

It did take two bond elections to get the stadium approved by voters. At $61 million, it is the most expensive high school stadium ever built.

"You're going to love it," Mark VanderVoort, with HKS Construction told the crowd gathered for the event. "It's been carefully designed and master-planned to complement Rhodes stadium. The entire site here is going to behave as one. It's going to offer all kinds of opportunities."

It's good timing for the stadium, coming off Katy High's national football title. But Katy has 7 high schools with teams that will benefit.

"I'm a junior so I won't be able to play in it, but it will be great for all the kids coming up who will play on varsity," Cooper Campbell told Fox 26.

Campbell plays for the Seven Lakes Spartans and he knows what happens when teams don't fit into the Rhodes Stadium's Friday night schedule.

"We had 2 or 3 Thursday games," Campbell said. "Friday mornings are hard. They're really hard."

The use for a second stadium was obvious. The fight against it was about the price tag. But Shani Matheson, who was on the  bond committee, thinks the controversy will quickly die down.

"Once it's built, and once our kids, not just our athletes, but our band and choir, and cheerleaders come together, I think it really will," Matheson said.

The new stadium is expected to be finished in May 2017.