Frisco is on its way to becoming more than just Sports City USA. Frisco is poised to expand its cultural horizons with plans for the proposed Frisco Center for the Arts (FCFA), a major addition to its arts scene.
The FCFA will be a dynamic hub for visual and performing arts, offering state-of-the-art spaces for large productions, smaller performances and art exhibitions to enrich the community and boost arts tourism.
The city of Frisco is inviting residents, business owners, arts organization representatives and interested members of the public to participate in ongoing community engagement opportunities for the FCFA.
How To Make Your Voice Heard
The city of Frisco is committed to making the FCFA a cornerstone of the region’s cultural and artistic landscape, and public participation remains a vital part of shaping its future. As part of this initiative, the project team will provide an update on the planning process and project dependencies at the Frisco City Council’s winter work session. Additionally, a meet-and-greet with members of the architectural concept design team will follow the public presentation.
Public Presentation to City Council
When: Jan. 31, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: UNT Frisco | 12995 Preston Road
Meet & Greets with FCFA Design Team
When: Jan. 30, 2025 | 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Where: Friday Public Library, 2nd Floor FCFA Project Room | 8000 Dallas Parkway
When: Jan. 31, 2025 | 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: UNT Frisco | 12995 Preston Road
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to join these events to share their insights and help bring this vision to life.
The One Thing Frisco Lacks: World-Class Performing Arts
According to Frisco Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tammy Meinershagen, the center aims to provide accessible opportunities for local and regional artists, Frisco residents and visitors alike — possibly the only thing Frisco is missing.
While the city is growing its visual arts scene with additions such as Kaleidoscope Park at HALL Park, Frisco still lacks in the performing arts department.
“The city’s leadership has done an incredible job putting the building blocks of a sustainable, world-class city, especially on the sports side,” Meinershagen told Local Profile. “There’s already the sports, education, business and health. The missing piece is the arts. We don't have that at the scale as we do everything else. It’s not at the world-class level like we have seen in the sports sector.”
This Could Mean Broadway Shows In Frisco
Plans for the FCFA took a significant step forward in October 2024, when the city of Frisco announced a partnership with the Prosper Independent School District (PISD) and Broadway Across America/Broadway Dallas to develop a Broadway Frisco series hosted at the facility.
Plans continued to move forward in December 2024, when the Frisco City Council approved Pelli Clarke & Partners as the design architect for the project. Pelli will refine the design, including exterior renderings, site layout and club-level experiences, alongside Theatre Projects and Akustiks. Community engagement sessions on the design are scheduled for February and March 2025.
The proposed design includes a 2,800-seat performance hall for Broadway shows, large touring productions and community events. According to Meinershagen, a letter of intent was ratified with Broadway Across America, the entity behind blockbuster hits like Wicked, The Lion King and Hamilton. Their local partner is Broadway Dallas.
“We began conversations with Broadway Dallas and Broadway Across America. Now Broadway Frisco will be formed from these two entities," Meinershagen said. "It’s not a competition with Dallas; rather, we’ll call it 'co-opetition,' working together. Broadway Across America in New York will decide which shows come to which location."
"Frisco could see first-run Broadway shows if this moves forward," Meinershagen said.
A smaller 300- to 400-seat community hall, primarily for Prosper ISD use and community activities, is also in the worlds. Other features include rehearsal spaces, visual arts areas, and support facilities to ensure a comprehensive and versatile arts venue.
“Prosper ISD could use that smaller space for students, as well as their workforce training,” Meinershagen explained. “It'll have a major space and a minor space in the same building.”
Where It Will Be
Though the exact location for the FCFA has not been announced, it will be situated within both the city and school district boundaries. Frisco is running out of open space with only 16% left, but Meinershagen told Local Profile they have a space the city already owns that could potentially be used.
But Will Taxes Go Up?
The Frisco City Council must place the proposal on a ballot for local voters to decide on funding. Prosper ISD contributing $100 million from its 2023 Performing Arts Center bond funds, but additional funds are still needed. The city of Frisco is also seeking private and philanthropic funding sources, which, if approved by voters, would not raise property taxes.
“I am committed that our Frisco taxpayer, our residents, don't have to pay anything,” Meinershagen said. “The estimate is $340,000,000 — so we've got to solve that problem, and then we've got to solve who's going to be on the hook for the ongoing maintenance and operations.”
But the city previously laid out plans for this exact problem.
“We have sales tax revenue that voters voted back in the 90s,” Meinershagen said. “We could take a penny of every dollar and split it in half — half a penny goes to community development and half a penny goes to economic development.”
Don't miss anything Local. Sign up for our free newsletter.
