Well folks, it’s that magical time again in Frisco—election season—when the lawn signs bloom like spring wildflowers, the political mailers clog our mailboxes faster than credit card offers, and the campaign coffers overfloweth… with cold, hard cash.
But not just any cash. Oh no, we’re talking about that sweet, sweet nectar of the gods: Developer Donation Dollars—a.k.a. Tammy’s Triple D’s.
Yes, in a stunning twist no one saw coming (except literally anyone who has watched city politics for five minutes), Councilwoman Tammy Meinershagen reported a jaw-dropping $40,833.64 in campaign contributions in just the last three months. That’s a lot of yard signs and catered meet-and-greets. But here’s where it gets juicy: $31,041.44—roughly 76%—came from developers who have current or future projects in the pipeline and paving Frisco one luxury development at a time.
Coincidence? Just your average neighborhood bake sale gone wild? Or maybe developers just have an intense passion for local democracy… the kind of passion usually accompanied by architectural renderings and infrastructure impact studies. Why are these developer titans so invested in our humble city council races? Are they just really, really into zoning meetings? Or could it be they know that in Frisco, if you want to shape the skyline, you’ve got to shape the council first?
Let’s put on our rubber gloves and dig through the money trail, one donation at a time—name, company, and what exactly they’re building in our backyard. Spoiler alert: it’s not a public park. Grab your hard hats, folks. It’s time to follow the bulldozers—and the bucks.
$1000: Todd & Heather Lisle: Todd worked at Forvis Accounting until he retired. According to the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports each year on the city website, “FORVIS, Certified Public Accountants, has issued unmodified (“clean”) opinions on the City of Frisco’s financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2023. The report of the independent auditors is located at the beginning of the Financial Section.”
$2000 Each: Theresa & Michael Sinacola, James Sinacola and Joseph Sinacola – works on projects every day in Frisco for private developers and the city projects.
$3000: Philip Rose – CrossTie Capital (Frisco Fields Development)
$3000: Fehmi and Elizabeth Karahan – Karahan Companies (Frisco Fields Development)
$5000: Robert Shaw – Columbus Realty Partners (Frisco Fields Development)
$5000: Richard Reupke – Partner and Chief Financial Officer at Columbus Realty Partners since the firms inception in 1999. They own Twelve Cowboys Way Luxury Apartments and are involved in PGA/North Fields developing a Class A Multifamily development in Frisco.
In-Kind (Non-Monetary) Donation:
$9,892.34 Craig Hall – Founder of Hall Group For Kickoff Venue/Food/Beverage
Other donors include:
$500: Jason Denton – Local Businessman and on the Frisco CDC Board
$1500: Answer Azam – Local CPA and Former Candidate For Council
Political Expenditures Made:
$5000: Cynergy-Ink ** We could find no company website for this company, no franchise tax id account in Texas and the address but the address comes back to a home registered to a woman whose social media says she does Graphic Design
$2900: Campaign Management Services for a mobile app and we can not find anything on this company but they appear on several candidate campaign finance reports for campaign services.
And there you have it, folks. Just another heartwarming tale of local democracy, where average citizens like you and me—armed with nothing but a mortgage, three kids, and a dog that eats Legos—are expected to go toe-to-toe with deep-pocketed developers who treat campaign donations like they’re dropping quarters into a casino slot machine that spits out zoning variances.
Some residents are tired of wondering why that five-story mixed-use “village” just popped up where the park used to be, or why our street floods every time someone flushes during a light drizzle—maybe, just maybe—we should follow the money (unless you don’t want to ruin the surprise). I know, I know… who has time to read campaign finance reports when “The Bachelor of Frisco Lakes: Retirement Village” is on? We’ve got real problems—like whether our HOA will fine us for leaving your garbage bin out 14 minutes too long. It leaves us no time to wonder why our city council candidate suddenly got $40,000 from developers who wants to turn a pasture into a “luxury lifestyle hub.” That’s just a coincidence! Pure civic enthusiasm!
But hey, democracy’s working just fine. As long as by “democracy,” you mean a handful of land speculators playing Monopoly with real houses, real traffic, and your real tax dollars. We have shouted it from the rooftops of Frisco homes, trying to warn you that when that same candidate tells you they “can’t be bought,” they’re technically telling the truth—because let’s be honest, at this point they’re on layaway. Just waiting to be delivered after the election.
Yesterday morning, two families woke up in Frisco excited for their kids who had UIL Championship Track Meet at Kenkuydall Stadium. Neither family had any clue or saw coming that by the end of the day one family would lose a son, and the other family would have a son facing murder charges. This should not be happening in Frisco, Texas.
Today, it is compounded by the fact that America (yes America, this has gone viral) has an opinion on what happened. Rumors are being crafted, hate is being spread across social media calling this racial because of the colors of the boy’s skin tones, accusations are being hurled. People are digging through these two teenage boy’s social media accounts looking for the “worst of the worst” to post and they will find it – but how does that change this now? The end result is spreading more hate and divide in a time when we should be waiting for answers.
Believe me when I say this is a parent’s worst nightmare come true on both sides. The parents had no clue as their kids went out the door, neither of them would be coming home. The father of Austin Metcalf, the victim who died in his twin brothers’ arms, spoke out and said, “I want to clarify something right off the start because I have already heard some rumors and gossip. This was not a race thing; this is not a political thing …this is a human being thing! This young man made a bad choice, and it affected his family and our family forever. It is a very unfortunate thing.” He went on “I forgive this boy, not for him but for me, as a father to have peace. His life is destroyed, my life is destroyed; it is an unfortunate, tragic event that will affect us for the rest of our lives. I want to get the word out to other parents so they will talk to their children, so this does not happen again. Senseless acts of violence have become more acceptable, and we have become more callous to them. That needs to change.”
He is an incredible father to have faith over fear today! My wife and I would like to follow in his father’s footsteps and send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to both families. We will be lifting them all up in prayer as well as for our community to heal from this. Last night, Austin Metcalf was called home. Last night Karmelo Anthony spent the first of many nights in jail. Nobody Wins!
Part of that healing is asking legitimate questions that we expect investigators to find answers to:
1. Why did a young man bring a knife to a track meet?
2. At what moment, did he loose control and make the decision to stab him in the chest?
3. When did the first call to 911 get logged?
4. What was the dispatch time, enroute time, and arrival time of the first arriving unit, and was the clear time?
5. Were there any medical personnel for the school on-site at this track meet? If no, why not?
6. Did the revitalization construction happening downtown directly affect the response time of EMS units. What was the time frame delay between him being stabbed and receiving life saving measures by police and fire including CPR and the administration of blood?
7. Is the school offering mental health services to the kids involved and around?
8. Is the city offering mental health services to the first responders who had to watch this young adult die?
9. Were there any warning signs in the young adult’s life or history that would have led the school to believe that he could become a dangerous offender or be carrying a weapon?
10. How could this have avoided? What security measures did the school district have in place at this event?
Both families have to live with Karmelo Anthony decision for the rest of their lives. These questions will tell us who dropped the ball and at what level because a kid does not wake up and say Today, I am taking a knife to a track meet. We need to know where, how, and when the failures happened to keep all the students safe in our schools. One young man made a decision that would affect both families’ lives forever yesterday. We need to stop and talk to our kids and make sure they understand that it doesn’t matter if this was over a seat, a cellphone, or a simple exchange of teenage verbal words — none of those reasons, or any reason, is acceptable to take a person’s life. That is the conversation parents should be having today with their kids. The other day, I took my wife to HEB, and she is in a wheelchair. I had a hard time getting it up over the curb. A group of kids laughed and snickered – no one offered to help and that is what is wrong with our country today. It is time to reteach our kids about humanity and being good stewards. We need to ask ourselves, “What is happening to our town, to our community, that this would be how an otherwise normal day ends?”
This should not have happened in Frisco, Texas …. Yet it did!
The conversation around FCFA (Frisco Center for the Performing Arts) is like watching a hockey game. Fans focus on the puck, darting across the ice at breakneck speed, while the real action—the jabs, the shoves, the outright brawls—unfolds around it. In this case, the puck is the FCFA debate, and the players? Several players have come forward offering wisdom and insight like George Purefoy, Shono Sowell, Jared Elad, Jerry Spencer, and Burt Thaker.
Mayor Jeff Cheney has decided to be both the referee and the enforcer, throwing punches at anyone who dares question his grand vision. His online meltdown is documented in his trolling comments of citizens, council candidates, previous city employees, and future mayoral candidates. We call him the digital reincarnation of American Cult Leader, David Koresh. Cheney views Frisco residents as his personal Branch Davidians, expecting—no, demanding—blind loyalty. He envisions himself as the all-knowing prophet of Frisco’s future, leading his followers toward his Broadway-sized promised land, whether they like it or not.
Just like Koresh, Cheney loves the sound of his own voice. His strategy? Talk incessantly until his opponents are too exhausted to argue. History has shown that when Cheney gets his panties in a wad or feels his grip slipping, he shifts into attack mode, labeling residents “ignorant,” “unaware,” or “misinformed.” It’s almost comical—except for the fact that he genuinely believes he’s the smartest person in the room. As my mother used to say, the proof is in the pudding.
Why the Obsession with FCFA?
Why is Jeff Cheney and his sidekicks Tammy Meinershagen and John Keating fighting so hard for a Frisco Center For The Arts?
For Meinershagen, it’s personal. She has had a lifelong love affair with the arts (she plays the violin), and she has served on the Frisco Arts Boards and Commissions. One could wonder, has her love for the arts possibly clouded her judgment. Is she advocating for the entire city or just her arts community?
Keating has a twofold motivation: 01: He wants to be mayor, and winning this battle gives him a nice “dog whistle” for his next campaign boost. 02: He owns a house in The Preserve, which Cheney has said is the most exclusive community to ever be built in Frisco, as it sits next to the PGA. A luxurious neighborhood near the proposed arts center —a fancy arts venue next door = only increased property values.
And Cheney? Well, he wins in real estate—again. Let’s be honest, a massive arts venue will drive up property values along the 380 corridors, directly benefiting the real estate that the Cheney Group represents in Fields Residential Developments. Just as he has done in the past, Cheney will say there is no conflict of interest and that he doesn’t use his position as Mayor to benefit his business. Coincidence? We think not.
The Social Media Meltdown
Why is Cheney on a social media overdrive to sell this project to the public? To understand you must look at the comments on the March 8th post by the Smart Frisco PAC on their Facebook page. Former City Manager, George Purefoy, who is a very respected individual in our city and many value his opinion since he “built Frisco,” openly stated he was against the measures on the ballot relating to the Frisco EDC and did not like the fact that residents were being misled that it would cost nothing. On the same post, several other well-respected names in our community spoke out. Political candidates such as Jerry Spencer, Jared Elad, and Burt Thacker have also come out against the measures.
On March 22, Shona Sowell, who previously served as a city councilwoman for many years, giving her access to the spatial studies and feasibility studies done regarding a performing arts center. She has also been involved in city conversations related to a PAC and published an informed opinion on her Facebook page, Shona Sowell for Frisco Mayor. That is when Cheney lost it and his performance backfired!
First, Cheney uses a set of cabal minions to question Purefoy and Sowell. In this case, that would be Jake Petras and David Bickerstaff. When that doesn’t work, he dives right into the media fire himself, replying to several comments on Sowell’s page and her post.
Resident Jeff Jacobs thanked Sowell for her breakdown of the facts. Cheney responds, “this a 50-year decision for Frisco. Please do your due diligence apart from political alliances and evaluate this project on what it will truly mean for the future of our community.” How does Cheney know that Jacobs has not done his own due diligence? Why does he assume his support is solely out of a political alliance with Sowell? Where does Cheney, OUR MAYOR, get off making those assumptions or talking to a resident like that. Keep in mind Cheney knows Jacobs is well informed as he is a well-respected Realtor in the Frisco community.
Jacobs commented later on in the comments on Sowells post with a meme about Frisco ISD arts center. Cheney obviously does not pay attention who he is talking to or he would have realized he already responded to Jacobs once, so he responds again with the same exact copied comment he left for Jacobs the first time around.
Next Bowers makes a comment thanking Sowell for taking the time to break it down and a short time later Cheney responds, “I count on you to do your homework on this project. I disagree with all the information presented in this post and hopeful Shona will actually meet with city staff to learn more.” In response George Purefoy responds to Bowers with his concerns on the project and you can guess that did not go over when Cheney read it. AGAIN…why does Cheney, OUR MAYOR, assume that Bowers has not done her homework? Why is Cheney “cut and pasting” his comment that he disagrees with the whole post to Bowers. Was Bowers on Mayor Cheney’s page asking him for his two cents? Nope!
Another resident named Annette responds that nothing is free in government and that Frisco needs to focus on infrastructure and stop ignoring the east side which looks sad. Mayoral Candidate Sowell responds that she, too, lives on the east side and understands her pain and wants the whole city to look great for residents. Minutes later, Cheney responds with the same “cut and paste” comment about how he hopes she does her homework and that he disagrees with all the information presented in Sowell’s post. HELLO MR. MAYOR – YOU CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS WANT, SO DID YOU EVEN READ HER COMMENT? No!!! You couldn’t care less that a resident feels the east side has been forgotten about in your master plan, and that she expressed a concern. Nope, you only respond about the performing arts center because THAT IS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT! Remember, we said proof is in the pudding, stop and listen and respond to residents – NOT WHAT YOU WANT!
Several more residents’ comment in support of Shona’s post and you can bet minutes later Cheney responds (no trolls) again with the same “cut and paste” comment as he did all the others asking her to do her homework on the project and he disagrees with all the info presented.
Want more proof in the pudding that this is not about Residents but about Cheney and what he wants? Resident Brewer responds to Shona’s post with “Hmm…our mayor’s explanation differs significantly from this.” Without hesitation, Cheney and his minion Bickerstaff respond, attacking Shona as “not credible,” and then, when Resident McCarley responds, asking “What’s incorrect in Shona’s explanation? What is she misinformed about? What facts did she get wrong on this project?” MAYOR CHENEY and Mr. Bickerstaff – this was your time to answer the question and explain your claims that you posted repeatedly, calling “misinformation” with the facts, but did you? Nope!!! Crickets …. Proof again of the pudding, it is not about communication to residents, it is about TELLING THEM what they need to believe.
In another section Cheney is asked if the city is responsible for the cost overruns as Shona stated? Did Cheney respond? NOPE!!!
Then David Bickerstaff (who has a political alliance with Cheney – his own words) posts on Sowells page in the comments for people to read Mayor Cheney’s posts with the real facts. Cheney then responds, “We’ve met with multiple candidates to address questions and concerns, and most have changed their positions after learning more. We invite you to do the same. I would have hoped you would have attended a single public meeting prior to posting such inaccurate information. As a candidate for Mayor the public should expect this, and it is disappointing you have not attended a single informational meeting. I know we would love to meet with any candidate in this race or future to understand the scope and give them the facts to discuss with the public.” Whistleblower responds to Cheney asking him why the city is fighting their PIRs by sending it to the attorney general on the preforming arts center if they have been trying to be so transparent. Cheney never responded to that question, because he probably didn’t see it since he blocked us from his Mayoral page which is illegal by the way.
MR. CHENEY IF YOU READ THIS: What “multiple candidates” have you met with to address their concerns who changed their positions on the project? How many meetings was Sowell involved in with all the other performing arts centers? Why are you insinuating a woman CAN’T READ THE CITY’S SLIDES and decipher with intelligence what they mean, especially when that woman has years of council experience? You said you would love to meet with any candidate in this race to discuss the facts but then why did you try to shut down Burt Thacker at this week’s council meeting when he spoke about the performing arts center? Is the council supposed to respond to folks at citizens’ input, or better yet, cut them off while speaking? Nope, I don’t think you can do that, but we all know you make your own rules.
Whistleblowers Opinion on the Social Media Debacle: Mayor Cheney’s antics, trolling another politician’s page, is classless and disgusting. Going through her posts and commenting on them the way he did not only makes our city look bad, and it makes him look pathetic. He repeatedly assumes that every person is uneducated and not smart enough to make their own decision. If they ask a question, he doesn’t answer it and ignores them. He accuses them of making their decisions based on political alliances when his own political alliances come onto the page to cause disruption. In one post, the Mayor of Frisco – Jeff Cheney, summed up how he sees most of us residents… as stupid idiots who can’t make informed decisions. Only the Great Cheney Klan knows what is best for us. As for Ms. Sowell, we don’t know her personally, but we have watched her for years at council meetings, and she came across in her post the same way she did in those meetings with class and professionalism. She took time to answer anyone’s questions and generally seemed to care about people’s opinions. We are not supporting anyone for Mayor yet as that race is to far out, but she could be a tough one to beat if she continues to put residents first.
Censorship and Control
Cheney’s next move? A post on his own mayoral page. Unfortunately, we can’t link it—he’s blocked us. (Illegal, by the way, but details, details.) His post sounded like it was written by ChatGPT, filled with self-aggrandizing nonsense like, “I am here to discuss the details that I believe…”
A clinical psychologist will tell you that if you look closer at the context written by a narcissist, it has elements of exaggerated sense of self-importance and a need for admiration. What is Cheney saying? To Cheney, this isn’t just an arts center—it’s his magnum opus. The ambition, the “halo effect,” the relentless drive—it’s all part of his self-made mythology. “Only I, Jeff Cheney, have the courage to take on this challenge, to climb the mountain, to lead Frisco into this bold new era.”
Cheney then lays out the details in his post, which you can read for yourself if you are not blocked. A few points of concern for us #4 that reads, in the coming weeks, we’ll lock in an LOI with a world-class operator under an “operator-at-risk” model. That means as of today, as you are reading this, we do not have an LOI with an operator, and we don’t have an operator at risk model. A letter of intent is not a contract, it is a preliminary agreement, generally non-binding.
He also states that “they will inject upfront capital,” but he does not say how much and in return “we’ve” meaning the City has allocated up to $6 million for startup costs (capped there), with any further deficits falling on the operator annually throughout the contract.” What that means is if we vote for this and something goes wrong and we can’t get a contract (past the LOI) worked out, who is holding the purse? The city! He is asking us to put all our chips in on a “risk” that it will work out. This is the same man who made promises about Universal, and the night of the final vote changed numerous things in the contract to be more beneficial for NBC Universal than the residents who lived right next to it. Changing the operating times, height of roller coasters, etc. He wants us to trust him again.
In #6 Cheney talks about “Halo Effect” and the impact on Frisco. He has been using the Halo Effect now for years as his talking point as to why we will do things. When the PGA was approved that project sparked the Halo Effect, then he used it Universal will create a Halo Effect and now the theater. MAYOR CHENEY, WE HAVE BEEN HEARING THE TERM HALO EFFECT FROM YOU FOR YEARS AND GUESS WHAT WE ARE STILL SHELLING OUT MONEY LEFT AND RIGHT FOR COMPANIES WHO SHOULD WANT TO COME HERE BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY GREAT! When does it end?
He closes with every great Frisco project that has come our way has come with risks and unknowns – yes but they had better money backing it. The PGA, The Cowboys, are billion-dollar operations. Is this partner a billion-dollar partner? No! While there was risk it was not as great as this one. This operator does not have near the same capital as previous ones.
Whistleblower Opinion: Cheney’s post is a direct response to Shona Sowell and George Purefoy. Why does he block people from his page who may have questions? Why does he delete comments that don’t align with his agenda? If you are serious Mr. Mayor, why do you and the rest of the council unblock us and the others you have blocked and allow the same community engagement that Shona Sowell did on her page. That’s right you don’t care about the opinions of residents which is why you trolled her page in your meltdown, and you didn’t answer any of them. The ego and self-centered attitude you have, that you are the only who you can make this happen, is the problem here and will ultimately be while residents vote against it.
The Dallas Morning News Debacle
Do you still want more proof in the pudding? The DMN is the same paper Mayor Cheney has praised in the past. Cheney didn’t agree with their opinion and stated the DMN has “written some uneducated stuff in the past but this may be their worst. It is completely nonsensical.” Were any of these articles UNEDUCATED AND NONSENSICAL?
Then he immediately talks about how they don’t understand the project. He admits in the closing that “Of course we only have LOI’s now, but formal agreements will be executed following the election.” WHAT DID THEY GET WRONG MAYOR?
And so, we’re left with a burning question: Is this the leadership Frisco signed up for? A mayor who spends his time trolling opposing candidates online, throwing tantrums at newspapers that dare to question his grand vision, belittling anyone who doesn’t fall in line, and assuming that anyone who dares question his Broadway dreams just isn’t smart enough to get it?
At what point does passion for a project turn into arrogance? At what point does civic leadership turn into online heckling? One has to wonder, does Mayor Cheney keep a special alert set up for any slight against his pet project, or does he just have that much free time? Mayor Cheney should spend less time policing Facebook comments and more time listening to the very people he was elected to serve. Because for a guy who’s always questioning everyone else’s intelligence, he sure seems to be struggling with the basic concept of professionalism. Maybe instead of scolding residents, journalists, and fellow politicians like a frustrated theater director dealing with amateur actors, he could take a step back and consider that disagreement isn’t the same as ignorance. Either way, watching a sitting mayor spiral into social media meltdowns over dissenting opinions is certainly… a choice.
Or, you know, he could just keep rage-commenting. That’s always a good look. He did have to take a break from commenting to attend the 100th Anniversary of the Music Hall at Fair Park and success with Broadway Dallas. Guess he likes the perks already before we get our theater. Think the city will have us of a box at the new theater too to view all the shows?
(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.
WOW WOW WOW. Truth is out. No more rumors. Nothing illegal. Thank you for sharing and exposing Toxic Tammy. Time…
Cheney is so full of shyt! He can’t be gone fast enough. Vote Burt, Vote Elad! We need to start…
All of this makes so much sense based on how I’ve seen both myself and so many other city employees…
Thank you for enlightening us! It is about time people see the light.
If you have not figured it out our Mayor is not for the citizens of Frisco.