HOUSTON CHRONICLE STORY ON THE ARENA:
New facilities are being built as Texas schools look beyond football
'Minor sports' get major boost in area
By Jenny Dial Creech | August 26, 2006
Once late August arrives in Texas, attention tends to turn to one thing: football.
But this year is different.
With the opening of several multimillion-dollar arenas, so-called minor sports such as volleyball and basketball are stepping into the spotlight at schools across the Greater Houston area.
Three new facilities, built in the past two years, are setting a standard for school districts throughout the state. Katy ISD's Merrell Center, Cy-Fair ISD' s Berry Center and Clear Creek ISD's Bill Krueger Field House are state-of the-art venues that are placing focus on the sports and the teams that play in them
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Cy-Fair already cut the cost of the Berry Center by putting the arena and the football stadium on the same site.
"Being able to combine the two actually saved us about $4.2 million of taxpayers' money," Sprague said.
The Berry Center also will host several Southwestern Athletic Conference volleyball and basketball games, some of which will air on ESPN2.
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If the Merrell Center in Katy is any indication, the Berry Center and Krueger Field House should thrive.
The Merrell Center opened last year, hosting volleyball and basketball teams from Cinco Ranch, Katy, Katy Taylor, Mayde Creek, Morton Ranch and Seven Lakes.
The Merrell Center was built on a TIRZ (tax increment reinvestment zone), a mechanism which allows future taxes to help pay down the bond on the center.
The center, which holds 5,723, hosted volleyball and basketball tournaments as well as the district wrestling meet. The facility also housed graduation for all of the Katy ISD schools.
"The Merrell Center has been a great addition to the district," said facilities director Jim Chapman. "It really gives a lot to the kids who play various sports here. They can be proud of where they are playing when they are hosting other teams."
The Merrell Center has not only been a great venue for school district events, it has drawn a wider audience for local events as the home site last season for the Katy Copperheads, a National Indoor Football League team, and a Kirk Cameron Father's Day weekend event that was attended by 5,000 people.
During Hurricane Katrina, the Merrell Center housed evacuees.
"The facility has a lot of room," Chapman said. "It's well-kept and taken care of. We try to use it for a wide array of things."
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jenny.dial@chron.com
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Gary Fountain : For the Chronicle
'Minor sports' score major venues — Facilities director Jim Chapman stands in Katy's Merrell Center. School sports such as volleyball and basketball have gained ground with expensive new facilities. READ STORY