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Board considers bond, sponsor and survey options for proposed high‑school field houses
Summary
District staff presented 35,000–40,000 sq ft field‑house examples, rough cost estimates and a timetable for a potential bond; trustees asked staff to bid a public opinion survey and to consult the Jordan Education Foundation on sponsorships and property‑swap possibilities.
Jordan School District staff returned to the board with feasibility examples for 35,000–40,000 square‑foot field houses sited at high‑school campuses and outlined budget and timeline considerations if the district pursued construction via a bond election.
Business administrator John Larson and staff showed images and floor plans from a recently built Westfield High School field house in Weber School District as a working example. The board was told that similar facilities typically include a high‑ceiling indoor turf surface (40 yards by 40 yards grid), mezzanine observation/banquet space, locker rooms and coaches’ offices; Larson estimated recent comparable construction costs near $8 million to $10.5 million depending on context and whether the facility is built as part of a larger campus project.
The board discussed funding approaches and next steps. Staff recommended commissioning a scientifically sampled public opinion survey to measure taxpayer willingness to support a bond; staff provided a historical price point (a mixed‑mode 900‑respondent survey previously cost about $30,000; focus groups previously ran about $41,000). Trustees asked that survey bids include options (survey only; survey plus focus groups) and that any survey present realistic tax‑impact ranges so respondents understand cost implications.
Trustees weighed alternatives: asking donors or sponsors for naming rights, pursuing property swaps, phasing construction across multiple years, or covering operating costs through rentals and program fees. Several trustees said they would prefer a public vote rather than using existing district capital to pay for construction; others urged staff to gather more data on local demand and on how much outside users (youth leagues, travel teams) currently pay to rent off‑site facilities.
The board authorized staff to solicit bids for a scientific survey and to consult the Jordan Education Foundation about sponsorship strategies and donor outreach. Trustees also asked staff to prepare follow‑up materials showing operating cost estimates, potential rental income, and examples of cost savings teams might realize by using an in‑district field house.
