ALICE ISD board approves GMP amendment for Alice Memorial Stadium to include turf cooling and concessions HVAC

The ALICE Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) amendment for the new Alice Memorial Stadium and authorized the superintendent to execute the GMP amendment at a special meeting called at 12:15 p.m.; the meeting adjourned about 1:15 p.m.

The motion approved GMP Package 2 as presented by the district's project team and construction manager and included the option to install a synthetic turf system with cooling infill and to add HVAC for the home-side concessions. The base GMP for Package 2 was presented to the board as $34,000,493.75; the district's consultants presented two identified add-on costs: a cooling infill option priced at about $319,000 and an HVAC add for the home concessions priced at about $160,000. With those two add-ons the presenters said the GMP would increase roughly to $34,000,973 (figures presented by the project team during the meeting).

Why it matters: the stadium is funded through the district's 2024 bond program and will be used for athletics, band and other community events. Decisions on turf type, cooling infill and concessions HVAC affect up-front costs, maintenance needs and how often the field can be used.

PBK and Weaver Jacobs representatives and ALICE ISD staff summarized design and cost changes the construction team pursued to bring bids closer to the bond budget. Presenters said they had pursued roughly 32 cost-savings changes across finishes and systems that reduced the bid total by nearly $3 million compared with earlier figures. Example reductions the team described included removing perimeter fencing around parking (while retaining secured fencing for the field and stadium proper), changing some metal-panel manufacturers, reducing canopy and overhang depths, switching brick face to colored smooth-faced CMU in some locations, eliminating AC in some smaller back-of-house restroom spaces (ventilation only), reducing tile in restrooms to sealed/epoxy concrete, simplifying certain storefronts and reducing structural steel sizes where allowable, among other items.

The board heard a detailed explanation of the turf options and stated differences between the two main vendor proposals discussed in the meeting: Hellas (the low, turnkey bid for a basic synthetic turf system) and FieldTurf (another vendor with alternate infill options). Presenters told trustees that Hellas's base bid did not include the cooling infill or a shock pad; adding Hellas's cooling option would require a shock pad and would raise the cost. The project team said the cooling-infill option presented (an add) was about $319,000; in the team's breakdown, some vendors' cooling systems (described as EcoTherm or CoolPlay options) pair differently with shock pads, so costs are not directly apples-to-apples and the team broke out those options for board comparison.

Trustees asked about long-term durability and life-cycle costs for turf. Presenters said synthetic turf life-expectancy typically ranges around 8 to 12 years depending on use; they also noted approximate replacement costs for a full-field turf replacement would be substantially less than original stadium construction (presenters suggested a rough field replacement ballpark around $300,000$500,000 but did not provide a guaranteed figure). Trustees discussed current annual maintenance costs for grass fields and noted potential savings from reduced irrigation and grounds maintenance with turf, balanced against replacement and infill costs over time.

A trustee who identified the project as a priority for students urged the board to prioritize features that directly affect player safety and comfort (including the cooling infill), even if that required cutting other items. Presenters responded that the team will continue to pursue savings and buyout reductions after GMP approval and will provide monthly updates to the board on buyout savings, scope changes and any proposed additions.

The board also reviewed a sketch-level rough order of magnitude for adding additional parking in the district's transportation yard. Presenters described that parking-add alternative as a conceptual estimate of about $1.7 million and said it had not been designed; they characterized the number as a visual, preliminary rough order of magnitude only.

Formal action: a board member moved to approve GMP Package 2 as presented, including the field turf with cooling infill and the HVAC for the home concessions; the motion was seconded by Trustee Farada and carried. Board members were told that the superintendent was authorized to execute the GMP amendment consistent with that approval. The board record shows one absentee was reported earlier in the meeting: Trustee Lee Ramon was not present.

Next steps: project staff and the construction manager said they would continue finalizing subcontract buyouts, tracking any additional savings and reporting monthly to the board. The superintendent was authorized to sign the GMP amendment so contracting and notice-to-proceed activities can begin.

(End of coverage)