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Greater Manhattan Community Foundation to fund Daktronics video board at Bishop Stadium; board accepts donation
Summary
The USD 383 Board accepted a privately funded donation and approved purchase proposals for a Daktronics video board at Bishop Stadium worth $328,715; donors and the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation said the board will also be used for student learning and to generate advertising revenue that can benefit the district.
The Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education voted 6-0 to accept a privately funded donation administered through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation and to approve vendor proposals from Daktronics for installation of a new video board at Bishop Stadium.
Mitch, representing involved donors and the community foundation, told the board the project is privately funded and that the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation is operating a fund to collect commitments. Mitch said the Jack Goldstein Foundation has agreed to financially back the project so the district will receive a fully funded, installed and operational scoreboard without financial risk to the school district.
Donors and presenters described an academic component: the scoreboard technology is the same platform used at Kansas State and other major venues, and the presenters said the district could develop classroom or career-technical instruction around operating the system so students can learn video-production and live-event skills. Presenters also said the scoreboard will include advertising inventory; donor presentations indicated advertising commitments and sales will be structured so the board can generate revenue for the district over time.
The board motion approved the donation and the vendor proposals from Daktronics (Brookings, S.D.) for a total project price of $328,715. Presenters said the installation will include new audio infrastructure and that project partners hope to have parts of the system operable in time for the spring track season and fully online afterward. The proposal included additional infrastructure and audio work; donors said booster-club and community partners may assist with ongoing maintenance and sponsorships.
A board member asked about recurring subscription or classroom licensing costs; presenters said some recurring costs exist but did not specify annual amounts. The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation will manage the fund and donor commitments; the presenters said they are more than halfway to the funding goal and any remaining commitments are being solicited through large donors and community contributions.
A motion to accept the donation and approve the Daktronics proposals carried 6-0.
The board thanked donors and foundation staff for funding the project and noted the potential for student learning and community engagement.
