Des Moines Public Schools sets May 19 hearing for $19.5 million stadium project

Des Moines Public Schools' plan to build a $19.5 million stadium complex on the Drake University campus will go before the school board later this month. 

The school board on Tuesday set a May 19 public hearing on the project.

The 4,000-seat stadium would host football and soccer games for the district's high schools and middle schools. The Drake men's and women's soccer teams would also play there.

Des Moines Public Schools announced in November that it would partner with Drake University on the project immediately east of the Knapp Center on the north side of Forest Avenue. 

The school district's share of construction costs is $15 million, which would be paid using the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education fund, or SAVE — sales tax revenue dedicated to capital improvements. The district takes in $33 million to $34 million annually in sales tax revenue.

Drake would fund the remaining $4.5 million to build the stadium through donations and be responsible for maintaining the facility.

► RELATED:Des Moines school board mulls stadium deal with Drake as critics question the timing

The Des Moines school board also voted Tuesday to create a committee to review athletic facilities and provide recommendations for future investments with an eye on district-wide equity. 

“Our school district is home to thousands of students who participate in athletics, and we need to do more to make sure they have access to quality facilities while maximizing our limited resources in public education,” Kyrstin Delagardelle, school board chairwoman, said in a news release. 

The committee will be include district staff, student and parent representatives from each high school, community representatives appointed by the school board, and representatives from the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department and the Taxpayer Association of Central Iowa.

The committee will submit a report to the school board in October.

Charles Flesher covers K-12 education for the Register. He can be reached by email at cflesher@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8481. Follow him on Twitter @CharlesFlesher.