A high-profile effort to bring Broadway to the suburbs met its final curtain call at the ballot box this month. Frisco residents overwhelmingly voted down a $160 million bond to fund a portion of a $340 million performing arts center, signaling deep skepticism over both the project's scope and how it would be funded.
A Vision That Didn't Sell
The proposed Frisco Center for the Arts was ambitious: a 2,800-seat performance hall capable of hosting Broadway tours and national entertainment acts, as well as a 300- to 400-seat community hall for local and student productions. The project was pitched as a joint venture between the city of Frisco and Prosper ISD, in partnership with Broadway Across America and Broadway Dallas.
Supporters envisioned it as more than a theater — it was a cultural and economic development play, designed to enhance Frisco’s growing national profile and reduce the need for residents to seek out arts experiences in other North Texas cities.
But voters weren’t convinced.
Ballot Results: A Clear Rejection
The two propositions related to the center failed to pass:
- Proposition A, which would have allowed the Frisco Economic Development Corporation to use sales and use tax funds for the project, failed with 59.41% voting against.
- Proposition B, the bond authorization to fund $160 million of the center’s cost, failed by an even wider margin — 64.66% voted against.
Funding Confusion
Mayor Jeff Cheney and other city leaders previously emphasized that the center would not increase property taxes, instead using a blend of economic development funds, school district bonds, private donations and public-private partnerships. But a reference to “ad valorem taxes” in the ballot language led to confusion and concern.
“From the very beginning, city council has been aligned that the only way we would bring this project to the voters is to ensure it does not impact our property taxes,” Cheney wrote in a statement before the election.
Cheney also responded to critics who asked why these funds couldn’t go toward more basic services. The answer, he said, lies in state law. The economic development funds earmarked for the project are legally restricted to community and economic development, not general city operations like public safety or road maintenance.
Cultural Divide In The City
As previously reported by Local Profile, Cheney believes one of the top reasons Frisco residents leave the city is the lack of a robust arts and entertainment scene. While Frisco has positioned itself as a sports capital, the city has lagged in cultural infrastructure.
Cheney pointed out that the absence of a robust arts scene is costing the city more than just tourism dollars and residential revenue. He noted that some high-profile Fortune 500 opportunities slipped away. “It seems the last few years every major deal comes down to Frisco and Nashville, and unfortunately, Nashville has been beating us out on these deals,” Cheney said.
Councilmember and Place 2 candidate Tammy Meinershagen agreed, championing the arts center as the city’s critical missing piece. But others, like her opponent Burt Thakur, argued that the city has more pressing needs — citing an animal shelter and better mental health resources — and that nearby McKinney’s own performing arts facility makes Frisco’s project redundant.
“Many friends and neighbors have watched as their 401 K's in retirements plummeted by almost 25% over the last couple of days, mortgage delinquencies have gone up by almost 16% most people can't even pay their rent, and many people — including the Uber driver who drove me here — is working two to three jobs just to make ends meet,” Thakur previously said. “And yet, in this climate, the city council is asking for people to approve a bond, which basically helps to fund over 50% of a performing arts center.”
What’s Next: City Council Runoffs
The May election didn’t just bring the end of the arts center dream — it also set the stage for pivotal runoff elections for City Council Places 2 and 4.
- Place 2 Runoff: Incumbent Tammy Meinershagen will face Burt Thakur, who voiced strong opposition to the center.
- Place 4 Runoff: Jared Elad and Gopal Ponangi will compete for the seat.
Early voting is scheduled for May 27–31 and June 2–3, with Election Day on June 7. Additional details will be released in the coming weeks.
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