wait...Broadway could come to Frisco?
That's RIGHT!!
Frisco could be the home of blockbuster shows like Wicked, Lion King, and Hamilton, which means you won't have to drive over to Dallas or Fort Worth for Broadway anymore!
In fact, Broadway Across America (owner of the top Broadway shows) in New York City AND Broadway Dallas (regional partner) have come together to offer a BROADWAY FRISCO series, right here in our own backyard! Even more, Prosper ISD (educational partner) has committed $100 million to be part of this exciting opportunity in the northern quadrant of Frisco (city-owned land). This means the arts center will also feature concerts, comedy, community shows, and student performances, as well as Broadway shows!
This project would be By Frisco, For Frisco, and most importantly, IN Frisco.
So what's missing? YOUR VOTE
What are we actually voting on?
The issue on the ballot is actually very simple: "WHO should pay for WHAT?"
We believe:
Instead,
we believe:
Residents should NOT foot the bill for the Frisco Center for the Arts.
Residents should simply enjoy the benefits of a Center for the Arts in our backyard, NOT pay for it.
Can we accomplish both?
So this vote doesn't raise my taxes?
NOT AT ALL!
How is that possible? It's because the Frisco City Council wants to use EXISTING Sales Tax Revenue, NOT Property Tax Revenue for this legacy project. (Totally different bucket!)
Rather than taxing our residents to pay for the arts center, the vote in May is about allowing CONSUMERS to pay for it instead. That leaves our Property Tax Rate unchanged and untouched!
It's Smart for Frisco!
What are the two propositions?
In order to make sure Residents simply enjoy the benefits of the Center for the Arts and NOT pay for it, there are TWO Propositions in May that have to do with Frisco funding.
Though the ballot language is more complex because of State Law requirements, here's the gist:
Do you agree to REALLOCATE Corporate Incentives for Community Development purposes in order to build a Center for the Arts?
PROP
A
If so, do you approve the MAXIMUM AMOUNT of public Consumer funds for the Center for the Arts?
PROP
B
And remember, a VOTE YES to Prop A and B does NOT increase your Property Taxes, because that's not the bucket being used!
I'm confused- how does the funding work?
So glad you asked! Here's Frisco Sales Tax Revenue 101:
For every dollar spent in Frisco by a consumer at the mall, restaurants, or for activities, 1 penny is placed in the City of Frisco's General Fund (for Police, Fire, Roads, Library, and public services), and 1 penny is broken in half and goes equally into the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the Community Development Corporation (CDC).
The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) bucket is for Job Creation.
The Community Development Corporation (CDC) bucket is for Community Projects.
CDC
EDC
The Frisco EDC bucket (called Type 4A) collects half penny of every Sales Tax dollar and can use it for Job Creation and Corporate Incentives. The EDC bucket is governed by the EDC Board and helped companies like TIAA, Keurig Dr. Pepper, and PGA HQ come to Frisco.
The Frisco CDC bucket (called Type 4B) collects the other half penny of Sales Tax and can use it for Community Development projects. The CDC bucket is governed by the CDC Board and helped projects like the Frisco Public Library, Kaleidoscope Park, and the Frisco Discovery Center become a reality.
SALES TAX $
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (EDC)
TYPE 4A is for Industrial/Corporate
Recruitment and Development
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (CDC)
TYPE 4B is for Broader Community, Tourism, Entertainment and Convention Projects
According to new State Law, EDC funds can't be used for CDC purposes UNLESS residents vote to allow it. So that's why it's on the ballot!
Sorry, I'm not an arts person. How does this arts center benefit me?
#1 Reason? It keeps your Property Tax Rate Low!
Just like the Star, PGA, Toyota Stadium, and Stonebriar Mall, this new addition will bring more spending to Frisco, boosting our city budget and keeping our Property Tax Rate LOW. The Sales Tax revenue from the Frisco Center for the Arts will refill BOTH the EDC and CDC funds, so you don't have to attend to benefit! Let the visitors pay, since every dollar spent here makes our city stronger!
VOTING YES is a Win-Win, and a fiscally Smart choice for our community and our future!
SALES TAX $
EDC (Type 4A)
CDC (Type 4B)
Sales Tax Revenue generated will refill both the EDC and CDC Buckets
FRISCO CENTER FOR THE ARTS
why do we need to vote on this now?
Partnerships are like building a house—they require trust as their foundation. For two decades, Frisco has talked about creating a Center for the Arts. This vote is our moment to prove we're ready to lay that foundation and turn this vision into a reality—before it slips away.
For the first time, the Frisco Center For the Arts has almost everything needed for long-term success:
-
A National Programming Partner: Broadway Across America
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A Regional Partner: Broadway Dallas
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An Educational Partner: Prosper ISD
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Capital: $100 Million by Prosper ISD
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A Sustainable Business Plan: Commercial acts to help assist nonprofits and community groups and long-term operations
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City-Owned Land: No additional cost
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Operational Entity: Responsible for securing additional capital and managing all Operational Risk
Philanthropic gifts and corporate sponsorships are the next phase of development, but securing their commitment is very unlikely without proof that the project is real and that Frisco is truly invested in its success.
It's
time
to ask...
Are we willing to partner with these visionaries already waiting at the table?
Are we ready to expand beyond being Sports City USA?
Do we want to
further solidify our place in DFFW?
"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious." - John Scully
what does my vote yes really mean?
By voting YES, you give Frisco City Council the signal to keep moving forward on this project with the current partners at the table.
By voting YES, you give Frisco City Council the AUTHORITY (NOT utilization) of this Sales Tax financial tool in the toolbox for the Arts Center. This tool cannot be utilized without another future City Council vote.
A VOTE YES is NOT a Blank check or Cash in Hand. It is Bond Issuance over time, typically over 20 years.
A VOTE YES is NOT raising your taxes. Remember, this financial tool is coming from the EXISTING Sales Tax Bucket, NOT Property Taxes!
Finally, your VOTE YES signals to the private sector that the Center for the Arts is a viable project and that Frisco is a reliable partner.
Without this financial tool and citizen approval, the Center for the Arts risks remaining just an unfulfilled concept—unfinished, stagnant, and ultimately lost to another city.
NOW is the time to voice your support for the ARTS, and the choice is YOURS!
Why is voting yes smart for Frisco?
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE
Good News: It’s NOT Coming from Your Wallet!
This vote isn’t about raising your taxes — it’s about authorizing EXISTING Sales Tax Revenue, not Property Taxes, to bridge the gap. That means NO increase to your Property Tax rate, since Sales Tax comes from a separate bucket funded by consumers in Frisco. By voting FOR Prop A and Prop B, you’re authorizing corporate incentive funds to be used for a community development project, and you're authorizing visitors and shoppers in Frisco to fund this project, NOT residents. It’s Smart!
DATA DRIVEN
What problem are we trying to solve?
According to a recent Visit Frisco study, the data proves that the #1 reason people leave Frisco is for Arts and Entertainment options. It's clear- we have an Arts Tourism problem to solve, as both consumers and creators of the arts go elsewhere to find Broadway, live music, symphony, and more. The demand for arts is growing in the DFFW area, and the Frisco Center for the Arts is the solution. Frisco can be a destination for the Arts to retain our audience that leaves!
ECONOMIC IMPACT
This project will expand our tax base!
The Center for the Arts is at its core a strategic Economic Development Project designed to grow Frisco’s creative economy. Economic Impact projections by Keen Independent Research estimate that the new facility could more than triple the current annual economic impact from the arts economy already in Frisco, increasing from the $21.3 million projected in the 2022 Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study to over $60 million once the facility is open. By year five of operations, the estimated total annual economic impact in Collin and Denton counties is projected to range between $45 million and $60 million (in 2024 dollars), with the creation of 225 to 350 new jobs. This growth will benefit local businesses, generate new employment opportunities, and contribute to the economic vitality of the region.
COMMUNITY FOCUS
Who are the users of the Frisco Center for the Arts?
The Frisco Center for the Arts will welcome all creators and consumers of the arts, from students to nonprofits to national touring Broadway productions. The design includes both a 2,800-seat commercially-viable theater and a 400-seat flexible Community Theater. Community organizations will have access to all spaces throughout the facility, and a structured fee schedule, including specific discounted rates for non-profit and educational organizations, will be established in coordination between the City and the selected Facility Operator. It is necessary to have Commercial programming to help subsidize the cost for the local and nonprofit rental fees, maximizing the usage by community groups.
STRONG PARTNERSHIPS
How do you build a sustainable business plan?
The secret sauce to Frisco's success is Public-Private Partnerships. Whereas most performing arts centers operate in the red and are heavily subsidized by municipalities and foundations, the Frisco Center for the Arts is revenue-generating due to multiple partnerships. A Letter of Intent (LOI) from Broadway Across America and Broadway Dallas to bring first-class Broadway shows to the area was ratified by City Council in November 2024. Prosper ISD also submitted an LOI for $100 million towards the FCFA to be a major partner.
That means if we build it, these entities will come!
-
Broadway Across America (NYC)
-
Broadway Dallas
-
Prosper ISD
ARTISTIC EMPOWERMENT
We've entered the Renaissance Era in Frisco!
The Arts are the hallmark of a civilized society, and Arts Centers are the cathedrals of our time. The FCFA has been a community dream for over 20 years, and it is the missing piece in building a world-class, sustainable city. We have the opportunity before us to cement the arts as a core part of Frisco's identity, becoming more than just Sports City U.S.A.
According to Broadway Across America, the Frisco Center for the Arts will likely be the last arts center to be built in the US due to the exponential market growth in our area. The Frisco Center for the Arts will elevate the cultural landscape of our city and provide residents with direct access to high-caliber entertainment, right here in our own back yard.
Vote Yes to more Arts in Frisco!
Where can i learn more about this project?
There is so much to share! You can learn all about the journey to this point, the importance of this project to our growing city, and the nuts and bolts of the proposed plan. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions, collection of articles and blogs, and the information that the TheatreProjects, an independent researcher, put together.
What is Smart frisco?
is a citizen-driven political action committee dedicated to informing and educating our community about the Center for the Arts Bond Initiative and its role in driving economic development. We want you to be armed with the FACTS when you go to the polls! We believe a VOTE YES is Smart for Frisco!
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