(The lights flicker, and the performing arts center goes dark. The drums begin to rumble like a storm and then with grand fury the curtains rise for the play to begin!)
ACT I: The Magnificent Mogul (The lights come up on a grand stage.) Center spotlight, Mayor Jeff Cheney, dressed in regal attire, surveying his domain—the kingdom of Frisco. The backdrop is a glittering real estate billboard for the “Santa Barbara in The Preserve at Fields.” A chorus of Realtors hums disapprovingly in the background. King Cheney (booming voice): Citizens of Frisco, behold! A paradise unlike any other! Luxurious living, exquisite homes, and of course, no conflicts of interest whatsoever! Just because I, the humble servant-mayor, also run The Cheney Group, doesn’t mean I would ever dream of using my influence to benefit my business! (The crowd murmurs)
ACT II: The Great Arts Debacle (The scene shifts to the Frisco City Council Meeting, where they are about to vote on the Frisco Center for the Arts.) Tammany Hall takes to her microphone to welcome a band of concerned citizens, each holding a scroll of grievances to read at citizens’ input. King Cheney, now looking slightly less majestic, listens from his throne, pulls up his phone, and his fingers twitch over his social media apps. Citizen 1: Your Majesty, why must we fund this expensive arts center when other needs go unmet?
Citizen 2: Will this benefit the people of Frisco, or just serve as another jewel in your town?
King Cheney (flustered, stands up): How dare you question my wisdom? Do you not see my vision? Only I know what’s best for Frisco! (Suddenly, a transformation begins)
Before the eyes of the audience, King Cheney shrinks, his voice becoming higher, more desperate. His regal robes stripped away, leaving him in a striped shirt, suspenders, and racoon hat.)
Tammany Hall (played by Tammy Meinershagen): Mr. Mayor, you are starting to look like a certain childhood bully – Scut Farkus. Cheney (looking for a mirror): Scut Farkus? Who… I demand to know who that is?
Tammany Hall responds: You know Mayor, the notorious tormentor from A Christmas Story.
ACT III: The Meltdown Scut Cheney—er, King Cheney—now frantically types away on social media. His fingers fly over his phone, leaving a trail of desperate comments across every Frisco Facebook group and post related to the Frisco Center For The Arts. The doors from the back of the chamber open abruptly and running down to the stage is Steve Cone holding an article published in the Dallas Morning News.
Cone (shouts): “Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, you have to read this, right now!” It’s so bad, Mr. Mayor, so bad! What do you want me to do Cone asks?” Scut Cheney (frantically points to the audience): Listen to me! You’re all wrong! I know best! The arts center is my dream! You just don’t get it! WHYYYYY!?
(The citizens watch in bemusement. A few chuckles ripple through the audience. A small child tugs at their mother’s sleeve.) Child: Mommy, why is the mayor crying and having a tantrum on the internet? (The mother shrugs. The citizens shake their heads. The lights dim as Scut Cheney’s tantrum echoes into the void of the digital realm. The curtain falls to thunderous applause.)
Epilogue: As the audience exits, they are handed a complimentary “Cheney Group” brochure, because no matter how the play ends, the sales must go on. The End… or is it?
Back on May 14, 2024, we filed our first PIR related to a performing arts center. We asked for all the studies and documents related to those reports from consulting groups or third parties like Frisco ISD or Hall Group.
On May 24, 2024, we got a tip from an inside source and we released breaking news in a Facebook Post that Craig Hall backed out from the Performing Arts Center at Hall Park. Today we ponder, did he know something about the project, or how the scope of the project was changing that we didn’t at the time? Possibly, but looking back we think he was a smart man for getting out along with Frisco ISD at the time.
On May 30, 2024, we received a letter from the city secretary that, due to confidentiality issues, the City has chosen to seek a ruling from the Attorney General regarding a portion of the responsive documents. We were not surprised! Now we want you to STOP AND THINK ABOUT … what did they not want the public to see it? For a city telling you this FCFA project is the cherry on top of the city, why do they continue to delay and withhold information? As a voter, if that does not concern you, it should!
At the February 7thCity Council Meeting future candidates took to citizens input under Agenda Item 38 (starting at the 2:25:00 mark).
First up, Jared Elad, candidate for City Council Place 4. Elad stated he had been a resident for 11 years, and he first became aware of this project when he learned the city’s partnership with Frisco ISD fell through due to disagreements over the scope of the project. Frisco ISD is moving forward with a 55-million-dollar facility as we speak to serve its students.
Elad stated he was concerned about Frisco residents maintaining and operating this project in perpetuity. He said it had been stated that this project could cost up to $6 million per year to maintain and he asked the council and the city if they had really done their analysis to make sure it won’t go higher than that? He finds it even more concerning that we are in a partnership with Prosper ISD, which limits the location options since it will have to be within Prosper ISD boundaries. He said that boundary limitations will make the project less accessible to most Frisco Residents. Elad asked why the city was unable to reach an agreement with Frisco ISD, and why it could not have been reworked to serve the Frisco residents better. Now we are left with not 1 but 2 Frisco Performing Arts Centers that the Frisco residents will have to support.
Another concern of his was the city signing a letter of intent with Broadway Access – he noted that a letter of intent is not binding. Without a signed agreement, there is no guarantee that this partnership will come to fruition. That could leave Frisco residents with a facility to maintain and a facility that won’t meet its projected potential revenue. Elad went on to say it has been reported that the Dallas Performing Arts Center is struggling financially as we speak, due to the pandemic and the nature of consumers’ habits changing. He looked at the council and asked, “What makes us think we can do better?”
As for the jobs, he said it will only create a minimum number of jobs, other than the construction phase. While he appreciates the other public-private partnerships like The Star and Frisco PGA, he believes this one will go too far with the potential cost burden it will put on Frisco residents. He closed, asking the council to reconsider the priorities for Frisco and to make sure we are fiscally responsible.
Next up was Burt Thakur, candidate for City Council Place 2. He said he absolutely loves the arts, supports the arts, and believes in the power of the arts to change people. He talked about how when he was in the military, he would use the power of books to transform himself in other places, giving his mind some peace. He said the question of whether we like or support the arts is not what is in front of us at this moment.
The question before us today is are we being financially responsible, and do we have the right priorities in line. Are we good stewards of taxpayer dollars? Thakur went on to say that on Friday the proposed number was $360 million, then a few days later the number was adjusted to $340 million. Then he pointed out, if you take the graphic in the presentation, that ads up to $380 million. Why are we being given vague ranges with an 80 million dollar variance for the cost? Where are the specifics?
Thakur brought up his concern regarding the yearly O&M (operational/maintenance) costs potentially facing Frisco residents. Can we justify this when we, as a city, have other pressing needs that are unfunded? He also touched on the Frisco ISD theater and said, with one already in progress, how is there not a way to find a potential to combine the two and mitigate risk? Thakur mentioned how police and fire have all asked for additional staffing, which costs a fraction of the yearly operational costs, yet the city can’t find the money for that. We don’t have a proper animal shelter, nor do we have a building for our Veterans. We need a space for the local VFW and other Veteran organizations to meet. Thakur said he loves the arts, but he believes in responsible governance, and he asked the council to work smarter, take a step back, and make sure we are funding our needs first. Thakur closed with; We owe it to the people of Frisco to prioritize wisely.
Next up Josh Meek, candidate for City Council Place 4. Meek started by voicing his support agenda item 38 & 39. With the amount of time, money and resources invested in this project we need to reach an answer. He then said that answer needs to come from no one else but Frisco citizens. He hopes that the council allows citizens to vote sooner, rather than later because prolonging it could have increased costs.
Meek went on to say Frisco is ultimately a destination location and he thinks that it would be a far, far oversight to not explore the potential we have when it comes to partnering with Broadway. Meek said he has two boys and when Hamilton came out, they looked at traveling halfway across the country to have that experience so why would he not allow this to be in his own backyard. When you start to break it down a big part of what has made us successful is that we have created these areas for people to visit and experience. He believes that this should go to the ballot. He said we have four districts that cover Frisco so while many are asking why we not partnered with Frisco ISD, maybe we should be asking why we have not partnered with the other ISDs and should we more in the future (Lewisville ISD, Little Elm ISD, Prosper ISD). Meek said he is on the CDC Board, and he has had the opportunity to see the benefits we will have from this.
Besides the council meeting we got an email from another candidate, Jerry Spencer, candidate for Frisco City Council Place 4. He wrote; I am opposed to the Arts Center in its current form. I especially do not like taking money from economic development and community development. I want to get away from this sports/tourism obsession and go after emerging technology/medical research, etc., with the sales tax money. Instead of Sport City USA, we need to re-brand ourselves Brain City USA! I have no problem with a REGIONAL Arts Center. Let’s do one with Plano, McKinney, Allen and Denton. It will take some work, but with effort it can be done. Then, we spread the costs over 1 million people, rather than the 235,000 in Frisco. The per capita costs would come way down. In closing, my website will be up in a few days
Lastly, while he is not running now he did run in 2024, we want to recognize that John Redmond spoke at the council meeting in early February. He said, in theory, he liked the idea of the Performing Arts Center. However, he feels we have spent tons of bond for a community theater and spent the last focused on a highly commercial, very large-scale performing arts center. Redmond went on to say he believes these decisions have been made based on the input of a very small select group of people and not based on the voice of Frisco residents.
Whistleblower Opinion Time: While many will say Whistleblower hates the arts, that is simply not true. My son was in community theater since middle school. We had to take him to other cities to do community theater shows. What we support is a community theater venue for our residents and nearby visitors. We don’t support a monstrosity theater built for Broadway shows and concerts. I asked my son the other day what do you think about this Broadway thing in Frisco? He said dad Broadway isn’t just about the performance it is about New York, the lights, the theaters, the city itself creates the experience of Broadway. Seeing Lion King in Dallas or Fort Worth doesn’t elicit the same response as you traveling to New York and encapsulating the entire experience of Broadway. We agree with him!
We appreciate hearing from the candidates because we believe they will be the future of this city. We believe if residents rise and vote for change, we could see different things coming from the council pulpit. One thing never escapes us, why did Frisco ISD and Craig Hall backout? What did they know or what did they see change that they didn’t agree with? We have analyzed this project in every way we can and a few points keep popping up:
1. Frisco has a lot going on right now with the Frisco PGA, Fields build-out, Universal, Toyota Stadium overhaul, downtown revitalization, Grand Park, and more. So many of these things have not been finished, and now we are going to start another project. Are we overextending ourselves and soon to hit a bubble of sorts?
2. Where is the HEART of Frisco? Every city has an area that is the original heartbeat of the city. Where is that for Frisco? We lost the heartbeat of our rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. Initially, a railroad stop, and hub for the railway, we lost that cultural historical heritage instead of building around it and putting it into everything we do. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could take the local railway as our public transportation from downtown up to the PGA for dinner, then over to the theater for dinner?
It could have been awesome, but instead we just set up a museum to hold pictures of our heritage and how many people actually visit that each year. The reason some of these cities the Chamber visited on their “Leadership Travel” were so great is because they built around their history. Instead, Frisco just built over it!
3. The location of PAC being at 380 and the DNT, so it is in Prosper ISD boundaries, which does limit the access to Frisco residents. How could we not have solidified a deal with Craig Hall, who was offering the land as a donation? The land they are proposing we use today for this project was purchased years ago by the city with the intent to sell it one day. Why? They knew it would be worth millions along the 380 / DNT corridor. Taxpayers paid for that land! It was not free to the city! We spent money back then to make money today to help pay off our debt obligations.
4. EDC & CDC: Where did that money come from? Sales Tax! They want you to believe this is not your money, it’s all those tourists who come here. Do you grocery shop here, eat here, buy gas here? If you do, then you are paying for it!
What was it designated for? Community Development and Economic Development – it was not originally intended for a Performing Arts Center. If you read the slide about the Frisco Model vs Venue Management Model you will see the private partners in the sports model operate these partnerships without on-going operational funding from the City. These are partners like the PGA, Omni, The Cowboys all with strong financial backing.
In the Frisco Center For Arts model we have no idea who the Private Operator will be. The financial model is DEPENDENT on overall financial milestones for fundraising. What happens if the economy goes to crap and people are not donating – who covers that cost then? You…and me! It also states the private partner operates with LIITED ON-GOING OPERATIONAL FUNDING from the city. We agree with the candidates why so VAGUE – where is the CERTAINITY? Why are you asking us to vote on so many “What If’s?” Words like dependent, limited, don’t make me feel comfortable.
Lastly, will it deplete the CDC and EDC money for other potential projects? Okay it brings construction jobs here during development – are you in construction? It will have a few salary jobs to run the theater but will the hourly jobs to clean it, be an usher or attendant help you pay for your million-dollar house? What jobs will this bring to Frisco that are viable economic jobs that people can live on in Frisco? None! What happens if we ever faced another Pandemic? During that time a survey showed that the Dallas Arts suffered a $67.7 Million dollar loss. Who will pay for it then?
Mayor Cheney and his protégés Tammy Meinershagen, Bill Woodard, John Keating, and Laura Rummel must have every project be so great, so grand! It’s like they all suck on the same bottle of whiskey every night and pass the blunt until they have the same stories lined up. Time to say enough, otherwise we might be setting ourselves up for some hard times ahead in Frisco. Slow down, smell the roses! Fix the infrastructure and stop lying to citizens. Life would be so much better.
If you thought the drama of Frisco’s so-called Future Performing Arts Center was confined to city hall meetings and backroom deals, think again. Mayor Cheney has taken the battle to the digital streets, launching an all-out social media war against anyone daring to question this multimillion-dollar boondoggle on the May ballot.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra of outrage, the mayor isn’t just defending the FPAC—he’s aggressively silencing critics, painting skeptics as enemies of “progress,” and doubling down on the same vague promises that have fueled public distrust. Dissenters? Blocked. Tough questions? Ignored. Concerned citizens? Branded as obstructionists.
Honestly, at this point, who needs a performing arts center? The Frisco drama unfolding online on Mayor Cheney’s Facebook page is almost better than a Broadway show and IT’S FREE! Between the plot twists, the villain arcs, and Mayor Cheney’s keyboard warrior antics, the entertainment is free—no ticket required. As long as someone questions the FCFA, Mayor Jeff Cheney will get ants in his pants so cancel the theater plans and let the social media circus continue.
One thing we can tell you, as Frisco teeters between vision and vanity, one thing is clear: This isn’t just about the arts anymore. It’s about power, control, and the lengths our leadership will go to in order to suppress scrutiny, questions, and concerns. In the spirit of giving Cheney something to talk about, we want to continue with more public statements made by community members that many hold in high regard. Curtain up, folks—because this show is just getting started.
In Her Words: Shona Sowell – Former Councilwoman and Running for Frisco Mayor
In a Facebook Post on Shona Sowell for Mayor she posted some of the following details. “Spending $160MM in your taxpayer dollars by changing the use of the funds of Economic Development Corporation, which exists to attract businesses to Frisco, plus adding $7MM a year in operational costs to the City for a performing arts center makes no sense. It is not how we do deals in the City of Frisco.
In Frisco a performing arts facility has long been an issue of research and discussion. Whether you are an arts supporter, performer, casual partaker, or a minor player, one must weigh the costs of a decision that will impact our city budget for decades to come. Previously, I fully supported the joint arts facility in partnership with Frisco ISD and Hall Park. Like other successful public/private partnerships we have done in Frisco, this one had strong partnerships responsible for the operations of the facility. The city was not responsible for cost overruns and was not responsible for the yearly maintenance and operations costs (M&O) for the facility. This approach would have only cost Frisco one tenth of this current proposal. Our financial obligation was limited and spelled out in the agreement. This is how Frisco has been successful with public private partnerships, and it is the same process for The Roughriders, The Dallas Cowboys and The Star, PGA Golf Course, & FC Dallas and Toyota Stadium. However, the current elected officials did not want to partner with FISD and Hall Park on this approach and decided not to move forward. Now they want to spend 10 times that amount on a deal where you the taxpayers own the risk.
The current proposal of a much larger facility in partnership with Prosper ISD and private donations (that do not even exist yet) with an operator who is not well capitalized is a terrible financial decision for the residents of Frisco. This proposal is NOT THE FRISCO WAY and puts Frisco taxpayers at risk.
She went on to give her thoughts on the challenges and risks of what is being suggested, and if you click here you can read them all. We have summarized them here for you:
Frisco taxpayers are paying for this through “Sales Tax” and Frisco residents voted for those funds to go to the EDC to be used for roads, infrastructure, and to attract corporations. Second, unlike other private partnerships, Frisco taxpayers are paying twice through the general fund, the taxpayer will be responsible for the annual operational expenses of the facility and filling the funding gap.
Third, the proposed land which is the site for this project, was purchased by tax dollars and the debt on the land was paid for tax dollars and is owned by EDC. Now the city wants them to just give it away (instead of selling it to a development at fair market value). That means taxpayers paid for the cost of the land. Fourth, elected officials have not disclosed how they will handle parking, and it is not in the cost of the project today. A garage could cost $50 Million that taxpayers will have to pay for. Fifth, Sowell noted per the presentation takes 5 years for donations to come in projects like this so if they delay construction taxpayers can expect the cost to go up by almost $100 million by the time we build it. The city would have to take that funding from other departments like police and fire.
She went on to say, public private partnership cannot legally sign contracts to build until the funds needed are in the bank. The bonds must be sold from both entities, and the private donations must be in the Frisco bank account. She pointed out that the consulting group maintains in their presentation from the January work session that the funds will come in more as the building gets closer to opening. Shona asks, do you as a resident want to be holding the bag and double the city cost when the pledges are not fulfilled? (Slide #2)
Her other concerns include if phasing of the project was an option. Yet, no plan of phasing has been presented to the residents to fully educate their vote. And if phasing is the method current councilmembers intend to use, how do we ensure the taxpayer is not left holding the bag on a project that stalls and cannot be fully completed? She also notes the agreement suggests Prosper ISD would control 84% of the dates in the smaller “community” theater—leaving very few dates left for our community groups such as the Frisco orchestra, chorale, theater groups, etc.—to use the “community theater”. The 2015 Bonds of $10million were sold for the “community groups to have a place to perform.” That means our own community groups lose big in this facility. They won’t be able to afford it, and there won’t be many calendar dates for them to use.
The annual costs to run the facility are going to be forever subsidized by the taxpayer. The projections from the consultant show a LOSS of over $6million annually for each year, a funding gap that YOU the TAXPAYER will have to cover for the first 5 years. Back in 2017, most art facilities across the country showed an annual loss of more than $10million. If we adjust for inflation—we are probably talking about at least $15-20million.
Even with a “operating partner”—if that partner were to be unable to pay for the costs of keeping the facility open, (see the Winspear, Raleigh Theater and others) the City of Frisco assumes the risk for ALL M&O expenses. Our other operating partners are large, well known, well-funded entities such as the PGA of America, the Dallas Cowboys, the Jerry Jones Family, The Hunt Family, and Bob Rowling. This is not the case here. We continue to tell our small businesses along Main Street and our public safety officers that we cannot afford 4 men on trucks, increased wages, or support for those businesses going under. But current leaders say we can afford this project? It’s a matter of priorities. While many will tell you Frisco NEEDS this project, it’s simply Frisco CANNOT AFFORD this project. It puts our tax rate, our entire city budget, and our financial future at risk.
In His Own Words: Brian Livingston – Current Council Member
Brian Livingston posted about the performing arts project on his Facebook Page. He started by sharing the post from Shona Sowell for Frisco Mayor. He went on to say it is a great conversation starter and something that should be shared as much as possible. For those that aren’t aware, I voted against putting the Frisco Center for the Arts on the ballot and will vote NO to Proposition A & B in May. My vote has nothing to do with my support for the arts and believe my history shows I have supported the arts community in Frisco. I voted NO for the following reasons:
1. I disagree with the statement that there is no risk to the Frisco taxpayer. If the operations do not generate sufficient revenue to cover expenses, the Frisco taxpayer will be the ultimate backstop. The “at risk operator” will be a newly created entity that will have limited financial capacity.
2. If capital improvements/repairs exceed the reserves in place, the Frisco taxpayer will again fill the void.
3. There are opportunity costs with using EDC funds for purposes other than what voters have previously approved. There will be economic development opportunities we will miss out on and that will result in fewer high paying jobs in Frisco. For years I have been criticized for supporting legislation and seeking ways to use EDC funds to support the city operations, first responders and capital improvements. What changed?
4. Finally, I fundamentally believe that if the demand for this center was actually as high as stated that private donors would be driving this project not the government.
Livingston closed by encouraging everyone to attend public hearings and email questions to every member of the Frisco City Council. He also stated he was glad to meet with anyone who wants to discuss my position.
In his own words: John Allen Redmond – Former Candidate For City Council & Resident
Redmond ran for council last year so its not surprising to see him being vocal about what he wants for the great city of Frisco. Redmond stated online “In general, when a private entity spends its money…it is careful. As we see every day, when someone spends govt (OUR!) money…the spigot is open wide. The same small group of vendors and individuals seem to benefit…that is a universal truth…whether here in Frisco, Austin or Washington DC. Trust but verify. There is an operator coming…there are large philanthropic gifts coming…Broadway wants to be here…ignore other venues around the country that are struggling, because we are Frisco…and we will get it right or our citizens will pay for it and it doesn’t matter. I am simply not convinced.”
He also stated “I will say that it is hard to be all things to all people. My objection to this project is based on economic viability and the narrative on which it is being ‘sold’. The reality is that this is a 10+ year old “argument”. We have already spent millions of dollars on this and to-date, and the answer has continually been ‘no’. Now, if a private entity, like Jason Young, wants to build it…go ahead. But, to gaslight the citizens of Frisco…I am not down for that.”
Lastly, Redmond said, “If this bond (meaning Prop A & B) passes…mechanically they will have the funds to execute the project. So, despite the language that has been used to-date, whatever discovery and/or evaluation they claim is over…this is a done deal.”
In his own words: Will Sowell – Former Frisco City Council
We told you about the Smart Frisco post claiming “It’s Free, It’s Free!” Reading through the comments we noticed Will Sowell; Former City Councilman spoke up. Sowell said “I appreciate anyone that advocates for their beliefs in what they want the city to become. But to say this does not cost any city tax dollars is disingenuous.”
Sowell continues, that the debt being proposed here is debt from the EDC, not City of Frisco debt. So, there is the concept of opportunity cost. If a large employer were considering coming to Frisco, financing would not be available to attract a large employer, which is the mission of the EDC. That is why (referring to the proposition on the ballot) we have to vote on the EDC use of the bonds because it is not consistent with the charter of the EDC.
Sowell continued, the EDC debt is repaid through sales tax that Frisco residents pay, so there’s first way that Frisco residents pay for this through taxes. Sowell then pointed out the city Frisco Model vs Venue Management model slide from a presentation and talked about the third way residents will be paying for the PAC. “Third, during the first 5 years, it is estimated by the City of Frisco that $5MM of budget funds will have to be used to cover maintenance and operations.
Fourth, the city of Frisco has to cover any overage on the building and on operations. There have been overages on every public private partnership the city has done. The difference here is that the city and thus the residents and not the partner pay for the overage per the city slide.
In The Words of The Whistleblower Team:
We enjoy reading everyone’s perspective on the future performing arts center. We develop new questions, learn new things and that is how people grow to make good decisions. We enjoyed hearing the different perspectives from current and former council members, the former city manager who built this city, and many more. Like everyone else when we saw Mayor Cheney’s post today, we had to stop and read it and follow the drama in the comments. We plan to publish it in its entirety tomorrow for everyone to read (who has not seen it of course). Don’t worry, we will not forget to publish the comments because that may be the best part!
We also plan to publish what the candidates think about the Frisco Center For The Arts as we are sending each of them an email to explain their position. For us, no matter what anyone says we constantly go back to one thing, why did the Performing Arts Partnership with Frisco ISD and Hall Group fall apart? What was it that made FISD say, nope not our bag of chips! What made the Hall Group, a huge supporter of the Arts, step back and withdraw the donation of the land for an Arts Center? Something tells me we should be asking bigger questions, diving for deeper answers.
Lastly, we continually go back to why they are asking for us to vote to change the use of the EDC funds? Why are we rewriting the rules? What about constructions costs and the unknown costs? Simply put, that is what Cheney does! He voted against a PAC under Maso and Pat Fallon when he was on council. Maybe he did that because he wanted all the glory and recognition for himself. Why are they trying to sell it to us so hard? All of those things make feel like we are being led to drink water in the desert that just isn’t there.
Stay Tuned for The Final Act of Curtains Up, Community Divided.
When I was a boy, I learned an important lesson on my family’s winery: if you mix the wrong barrels together, you don’t get fine wine—you get a mess. Turns out, the same principle applies to city finances, though some folks in Frisco’s leadership seem to have skipped that life lesson.
Frisco’s new Performing Arts Center has sparked a debate over the methods and madness with which the city is trying to fund the project. Half the city is applauding, marching in lockstep with the mayor and city council, trusting them like a magician who promises he didn’t just make your wallet disappear. The other half? They’re watching this financial sleight of hand and calling foul, led by former city leaders who actually understand the difference between Economic Development Corporation (EDC) money and Community Development Corporation (CDC) money—a distinction that apparently gets a little fuzzy when a big, shiny building is on the table.
The Great Money Shuffle
In our last blog, Frisco’s Bond Ballet, we gave you a civics lesson about how EDC funds are meant to attract businesses and create jobs—you know, the kind of things that keep a city economically stable. CDC funds, on the other hand, are for quality-of-life projects—parks, libraries, and yes, performing arts centers. Two separate barrels, two separate purposes.
Frisco’s Cultural Civil War
Now, I love the arts. I really do! I’ve been to my fair share of performances and appreciate a well-done production. But let’s not pretend that “The Great EDC Heist” is just an innocent case of creative accounting. On one side, you have the true believers, the ones who think this Performing Arts Center will turn Frisco into the next Broadway. They trust the mayor and city council like a cult waiting for the mothership. To them, any skepticism is just negativity. “Why don’t you want Frisco to have nice things?” they ask, as if wanting accountability is the same as being anti-art.
On the other side, you have the cynics (or as I like to call them, the realists). These are the people pointing out that raiding the EDC fund to pay for a performing arts center isn’t just bad policy—it’s a dangerous precedent. If we’re playing fast and loose with money now, what’s next? A city-funded theme park? A mayoral gold statue? Maybe we’ll just rename Frisco to “Vanity Project, Texas.”
It is time to pay attention and speak against the moves by the city when it comes to treating EDC funds like their personal arts-and-crafts budget, shifting money around with the confidence of a three-card monte dealer on a New York sidewalk. But every time I hear current leadership speak, I hear “Don’t worry, this is totally above board.” Right. And I’m the Pope.
Former city leaders—the people who helped build Frisco into the powerhouse it is today—are stepping forward and saying, “This is not how we do things.” And instead of listening, the current administration is waving them off like cranky old men shouting at clouds. But let’s be clear: these aren’t just some bitter retirees whining about change. These are the people who made Frisco what it is, and they’re telling us that this funding scheme smells fishier than a back-alley sushi joint. Let’s see what they have to say:
In His Own Words: George Purefoy, Former City Manager – aka “The Man Who Built Frisco”
In a recent Facebook Post by Smart Frisco, Former City Manager, Purefoy stated his concerns about the proposed project. He said, “Unlike the other major Public Private Partnerships (P3), this proposal does not have a private partner on board agreeing to be responsible for all construction cost overruns and for the annual cost for operations and maintenance. Unlike the other Frisco P3 projects, this project does not project to have all of the funding in place for the construction of the project by the award of bid for construction, thus it is projected that the project will be built in phases, thus cost containment will be even more difficult with inflation.
Purefoy continued, “currently there are no costs for parking included in the projected budget. I estimate that there will be a need for approximately 1200 spaces which will require an additional 12 acres of land if it is surface parking at an estimated construction cost of $7 million (plus land), or if it is structured parking, an estimated $50 million.”
Purefoy went on to say, “To say that there is $0 Cost to Frisco Taxpayers for this project is about as erroneous as anything I’ve seen in political advertising. Then he said, “Without the need for an election, the Economic Development Corporation funds currently can be used for the cost to build major thoroughfares and utility projects, and the Community Development Corporation funds can be used for both of the above projects plus many others which benefit the City and would lessen the impact on Frisco property taxpayers.”
Purefoy also has “major concerns about what will happen during economic downturns.To add this project to the list of annual budget needs of the Citywill result in other city departments being negatively impacted in order for the City to fund the performing arts center.”
George continued by saying he was told that the proposed 300-seat community theater included in this project will be used primarily by Prosper ISD. If that is true he continued “then the primary facility for most of our local arts groups will be extremely limited for their use.” In his opinion, this effort needs to be led by a local group of private citizens which raises private funds from individuals and companies for both building, operating, and maintaining the Arts Center. The city can then be approached to provide supplemental funding for the construction. Purefoy closed his comments by saying, “With all of the needs Frisco will have to keep up with the aging infrastructure in the not-too-distant future, the City does not need to create another major city obligation to fund on a continued basis.”
After making these statements Purefoy went to one of the Open Houses and updated his statements above. We also had an implant to attend the open house and several of the statements matched what Purefoy had said but we want to share them with you because these were comments by CITY STAFF.
In The Words of City Staff:
Public Private Partner & Construction Costs and Overruns: “City staff: It is accurate to state that the proposed project does not have a private partner that agrees to be responsible for all construction cost overruns. The city is in the process of selecting a venue operator through an RFP process. While it is accurate to say that to date, we don’t have a private operational partner in place,the city is pursuing an operator-at-risk model for the operation of the venue. This means the selected venue operator would assume financial responsibility for the ongoing operations of the facility without the City of Frisco providing financial guarantees for the day-to-day operations of the facility. Having this type of agreement in place is an important component of moving forward with the project.” Our implant was told they hoped to have it in place by May and Purefoy was told “It is anticipated that an LOI for an at-risk operator will be in place prior to the May election.”
Whistleblower Questions: Why is the city putting this project and proposition on the ballot for May, when it is incomplete? The city wants residents to “TRUST THEM” … NEWSFLASH FRISCO: WE DON’T TRUST YOU! You have given us no reason to trust you based on previous projects. Maybe instead of saying the city saying we hope, we anticipate, we want they need to say we have confirmed, we have signed contracts, we will once you have put the project together in its entirety. Right now, you are asking residents to vote blindly on items that are not final and cannot guarantee for your own personal shit’s and giggles.
When our whistleblower asked city staff about the “phasing” of this project we were told the city plans to update the FAQ’s and will not be going forward with that option. Then George Purefoy posted “The consultants at the open house for the Arts Project told me that the current plan is to hold construction costs to $200,000,000 or less, hold fees for design to $70,000,000 or less and go forward with bidding and make whatever changes are needed to hold costs to no more than $270,000,000 for the project.” Whistleblower wants to know HOW WILL YOU GUARANTEE THAT? IS IT WRITING? ARE THE DEALS INKED AND LOCKED IN?
When our whistleblower asked about cost escalation contingencies and parking from city staff we got a lot of hum, uh, oh, well, look at this big photo. However, George Purefoys updated comments after the open house read, “City staff: It doesn’t appear that cost escalation and/or contingencies are included in the numbers above. As should’ve been part of Gena’s explanation, the project budget is still in the rough order of magnitude stage. Our public presentations have stated a project budget up to an estimated $340 million. The direction to date is to plan for a budget that does not exceed $300 million. The project budget incorporates standard percentages for contingencies, cost escalations, and soft costs. As our project planning progresses the costs will be refined as the concept design aligns with a project budget not exceeding $300 million. The soft cost calculation of 35% should be applied to the escalated construction costs, and contingencies should be included as well.” Whistleblowers, until the city finalizes an RFP, signs an actual deal (NOT A LETTER OF INTENT) for Broadway, and has guaranteed cash in the bank from donors…someone will be holding the bag if things go south.
On the same Smart Frisco post in response to George Purefoy’s statements, local businessman Jason Young responded. Young said “Based on my meetings with some of the players (including private donors). I know of at minimum $50 million ready to go from private folks.”
Mr. Young, what meetings have you had with city leadership and what role do you play in these discussions regarding the FCFA? Are you willing to be it all on your own words that you know “of a minimum of $50 million ready to go by private donors?” Where is the money, Mr. Young? They could donate now or sign commitment letters. Better yet they could put the money in a trust for good faith to help voters feel better about voting for this. Instead, why are we being asked to blindly trust our city leaders and you that, these donors and plans exist. Once again, we ask who will end up holding the bag if those donors you claim “are ready to go” don’t come through. WHO WILL IT BE? FRISCO RESIDENTS? If something falls through the cracks, we will HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE IT! Lastly, to the city how in the hell do you NOT INCLUDE cost escalations and contingencies in the numbers WHEN YOU ARE ASKING RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON IT?
Parking: As for parking, we were told they were looking at options, however Purefoy was told that the current estimated need is 1300 parking spaces and the cost for this is included in the not to exceed $200,000,000 construction budget. Structured parking is preferred and if adequate private funding comes in, the structured parking will be constructed, rather than surface parking.”
Purefoy was also told at the open house that the local arts groups will have approximately 50% of the use of the small theater. However, the city’s FAQ states “Prosper ISD is anticipated to be the predominant user of the Community Hall.” It just happens to leave off the percentage of that use and we were told they would have 80% of the use of the small theater. WHICH ONE IS IT? WHY ARE THE ANSWERS NOT CONSISTENT?
We are glad to see George Purefoy speak out! While we have not agreed with every decision he made as City Manager we do agree on this that the burden and risk far outweigh the benefits to resident’s long term. In our next blog we are going to share with you the thoughts by Will Sowell, Brian Livingston and Shona Sowell who just announced she is running for Mayor. Stay Tuned
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another dazzling performance of Frisco’s Bond Ballet! A timeless masterpiece where the city pirouettes around financial transparency, leaps over budget concerns, and performs a breathtaking grand jeté over taxpayer skepticism—all while insisting, with a straight face, that no new taxes will be needed.
Every year, like clockwork, Frisco’s leadership takes center stage to pitch the latest and greatest “must-have” project—this time, a performing arts center. And just like in previous acts, the audience (a.k.a. the taxpayers) ask the same question: Where is the money coming from? But fear not! The City assures us that through the magic of bonds, reallocated funds, and a sprinkle of creative accounting, the show can continue without anyone noticing an increase in their tax bill. Bravo!
But why does this ballet feel so… familiar? Perhaps because it’s a revival of past performances—new costumes, same choreography. Whether it was the stadium, the library, or the latest infrastructure project, the script remains unchanged: Big dreams, vague funding plans, and a promise that it will all work out in the end. They city just wants you to grab your playbill (or financial statement, if you dare) and settle in for another encore performance of Frisco’s Bond Ballet—where the numbers may not always add up, but the show must go on!
To understand HOW THEY PLAN TO FUND the Performing Arts Center you must first understand what the Frisco Community Development Corporation and the Frisco Economic Development Corporation do and what their funds are for! Per the City of Frisco website, “Type A (EDC) and Type B (CDC) corporations were created by Texas law to help local municipalities encourage economic development. An Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a nonprofit entity created to finance new and expanded business enterprises, subject to authorization under Texas law. Texas law defines what authorized projects EDC may participate in and allows for the adoption of sales and use tax to fund those projects.
Type A EDCs are authorized under Texas law to fund, among other things, manufacturing and industrial development projects and the provision of land, buildings, equipment, facilities, expenditures, targeted infrastructure and improvements that are for the creation or retention of primary jobs for projects such as manufacturing and industrial facilities, research and development facilities, military facilities, recycling facilities, distribution centers, small warehouse facilities, primary job training facilities for use by institutions of higher education, and regional or national corporate headquarters facilities, and certain infrastructural improvements to promote or develop new or expanded business enterprises.”
Type B (CDC) corporations, also funded via a sales and use tax, are authorized under Texas law to fund, among other things, the development of recreational and community facilities, including parks, museums, sports facilities, auditoriums, amphitheaters, and concert halls, in addition to all projects eligible for Type A funding or other participation.
Now that you understand the basics of EDC and CDC funding, let’s focus on what Frisco’s Bond Ballet! City leaders are trying to PITCH a state of the art performing arts center that will bring Broadway Shows. To get your “BUY-IN” they are using a grand performance of confusion when it comes to the actual cost and how they plan to use creative accounting to pay for it – so you think “IT’S FREE!”
The City of Frisco leadership and the Frisco EDC Bond Propositions are pushing to rewrite the rules of the game allowing them to reroute sales tax revenues meant for Type A (Economic Development Corporation) Funds for Type B (Community Development Corporation) Purposes. Citizens already voted in the past on how this money should be allocated to both the EDC and CDC so why are they trying to change it now? IT IS THE ONLY WAY KING CHENEY, TONE DEAF TAMMY, BOBBLEHEAD BILL, and the rest of the council and city leadership can get a Performing Arts Center because they know you “the voter” won’t approve a property tax increase.
Instead of using EDC money that is meant to keep FRISCO COMPETITIVE and stimulate local economic growth and attract businesses that bring good quality paying careers the city leadership and city council want to use it as their own personal piggy bank to fund their dreams and desires. City officials are interpreting the local government code broadly, arguing that the performing arts center qualifies as an economic development project.
Let’s pretend a PAC qualifies economic development as the code is written today – then why is the city asking us to vote on Proposition A and B? When you read both props look at the words we highlighted in BOLD and ask yourself why would they need me to vote on this?
Proposition A reads “The Frisco Economic Development Corporation is authorized to use proceeds of its sales and use tax, including all amounts previously authorized and collected, for projects related to the proposed center for the arts project, including but not limited to, land, buildings, equipment, facilities and improvements found by the Frisco Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors to be required or suitable for use for the proposed Center for the Arts Project in accordance with section 505.152 of the Texas Local Government Code.”
Proposition B reads, “The issuance of bonds in the maximum amount of $160,000,000 for a City-owned Center for the Arts Project, and levying taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds.”
By bringing Prop A & B the city can tell you…. IT’S FREE! When you hear Smart Frisco tell you it’s FREE – it’s NOT! It is your Sales & Use Tax that funds the budget for the EDC. That means for every dollar you spend in Frisco, buying gas, groceries, or visit local businesses, a portion of the sales tax and use tax YOU PAY is GOING TO THE EDC! While tourists spend money, trust me residents spend more here so clearly, we are paying for it! While it may not be a property tax increase when you spend money in Frisco you are FUNDING THE EDC. The city is asking residents to be the Sugar Daddy for this project.
The latest act by the city, city leadership and the Frisco’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) starts with taking artistic liberties—not in the theater, but in the way it’s justifying the use of taxpayer dollars. The city sees this as an open invitation to bankroll the arts center, citing potential economic benefits such as increased tourism and commercial activity.
We would argue that this is a classic case of bait and switch or mission creep—where funds originally intended to boost Frisco’s business landscape are now underwriting a cultural project that primarily benefits a select group. Truth is we have done very well for ourselves in life, and we live comfortably, but Frisco is getting more and more expensive to live each day! The city leadership and council care more about Tourism instead of those who live here. Tourism is important but IT IS NOT EVERYTHING! What happened to Cheney Version 2017 where in his political video he talked about the quality of life for residents?
Before you vote YES to either of these propositions ask yourself, “If I get laid off and look for another job locally near me could I afford to live on what a Theater Attendant gets paid? What about a Park Attendant at Universal?” Face it young kids are not working anymore, and current businesses are struggling to find labor and now we are going to add more hourly labor – how is that creating good quality careers?
The question remains: Is this a wise and proper use of EDC funds, or is it just a budgetary sleight of hand to avoid putting the full burden on taxpayers? Either way, Frisco residents should be paying close attention. What starts as a reallocation for the arts today could and would set a precedent for future creative interpretations of economic development spending. After all, if a performing arts center is “economic development,” what’s next? A taxpayer-funded roller disco in the name of tourism? Stay tuned—this show is just getting started.
In our 15 to 20+ years living here in Frisco, this is the worst smelling project we have ever seen. They can smell the Shit Stink in Celina, Prosper and probably up to Oklahoma. The level of dirt our politicians use to cover up key details for this Performing Arts Center project from the public is unconscionable. In our next blog, we talk about what the city is not telling you! If it is city-owned who pays to operate it? Have they inked a deal for a venue operator? Over the years as the performance hall ages, who is responsible for the UPKEEP and how will we pay for it as it is a city-owned facility? The 50 to 60 million they plan to raise from donors and corporate sponsors – have any of these deals been locked in? If now, how do they know we won’t need to bring more money to the table? How will the local arts community have use of this facility, can they even afford the rental fees to host events there? How much time will we have on stage if we share it with Prosper ISD? How does this benefit our local theater group if Broadway shows are always on stage? Where do those funds come from? They keep talking about Broadway Shows yet have they inked a deal with Broadway Across America? Why would you vote to change how funding buckets are used when the truth is THE CITY IS WITH HOLDING DETERMINENTAL FACTS THAT COULD AFFECT YOUR DECISION ON HOW YOU VOTE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
Welcome to the Greatest Show in Frisco—Starring Your Wallet! Ladies and gentlemen, step right up! Frisco has unveiled its latest act in the grand circus of civic spending—a $300+ million performing arts center! That’s right, folks, for the low, low price of just hundreds of millions of your hard-earned tax dollars, we, the citizens of Frisco, can enjoy the privilege of funding a shiny new venue for performances most of us will probably never attend.
And who’s leading this blockbuster production? The front line “sales pitch artists” include The City of Frisco and a company called Theatre Project Consultants Inc. Of course, they are using their friends at Community Impact to deliver messages to mailboxes of 30,000+ residents. But wait, there is more! Enter, SMART FRISCO, the newest political action committee in town, whose idea of “smart” appears to be convincing taxpayers that we absolutely, positively must have this arts center—or else the arts police will revoke our cultural credentials, and the ghost of Shakespeare will haunt City Hall!
Who is Smart Frisco? The website says it is a citizen-driven political action committee dedicated to informing and educating our community about the Center for the Arts Bond Initiative and its role in driving economic development. We went to the city’s website and looked up campaign finance reports and we found the Campaign Treasurer Report filing which lists Heather Eastburn as the treasurer and their HQ office is a UPS store in Frisco. Sound familiar? Just last year Bill Woodard (current council member) set up the Safety-First Frisco PAC against the Frisco Firefighters also HQ at a UPS store?
We looked up the Smart Frisco PAC on the Texas Ethics Commission website. First, we searched by the treasure’s name and found NOTHING! Then we searched by Smart Frisco and found NOTHING! Then we looked under Active Campaign Filer Lists for political committees with appointed treasures and NOTHING! Why is it so hard to find out who is behind the PAC and who is financing the PAC?
Smart Frisco recently just posted to their Facebook Page an eye-catching graphic showing a set of tickets that read “COSTS NOTHING CHANGES EVERYTHING!” The website has the same stylish, eye-catching “PRO-PROPAGANDA” wanting you to “VOTE YES” and telling you “IT WILL COST YOU NOTHING!” They want you to believe this project would be “By Frisco, For Frisco, and most importantly, IN Frisco!”
The post elicited several responses and questions like who will be paying the annual $6 million cost for theater operations? Newsflash Frisconians, there’s no such thing as a free lunch! Ever heard the quote, “one man’s ‘free’ is another man’s tax increase?” One thing we know for sure is compliments are free, but this arts center sure isn’t!
Smart Frisco refers to a Community Impact graphic on one post which states the city believes they can raise $50 to $60 million in individual gifts and another $50 to $60 million in corporate gifts. Then in May they are asking you to vote on a BOND which they claim pending approval, will be for no more than $160 million. Lastly Prosper ISD has committed $100 million to the project.
Prosper ISD? What about Frisco ISD? Frisco ISD, who is facing a budget crunch, is building their own Performing Arts Center using $43 million earmarked from the approved 2018 Bond. Remember in 2021, The City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and developer Hall Group entered a partnership to build a “JOINT” PAC at Hall Park. In August 2022, the city and school district announce they were parting ways and canceling the “JOINT PROJECT PLANS!”
FRISCO ISD is facing a BUDGET SHORTFALL, which they blame solely on the Frisco voters who did not vote to approve the last bond. Yet they, too, can justify the need to build a $50 million performing arts theater that belongs solely to Frisco ISD even though they are cutting some arts programs. They are blind to the fact that residents are demanding financial transparency on how they have already spent hundreds of millions of previous bond money on things other than what they promised it would go for at the time. That is a tangent for another blog!
Back to the question: Who is Smart Frisco? Honestly, we don’t know! We know the treasure has a mug shot, but we are not sure if that is relevant. I bet we will learn exactly who Smart Frisco is when they have to file their first campaign finance report. Remember, you can’t fill a gas tank for free! The purse must be filled to fund a PAC, so we believe the donor’s list will speak volumes on who is holding the marionette strings of the dancing dolls.
Again, thanks for the ongoing information on this ridiculous project. Vote NO for props A and B!
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