$1.1 million name game

Beaumont Independent School District’s (BISD) Board of Trustees tabled action that would allow rebranding of Memorial Stadium, formerly known as the “Carrol A. ‘Butch’ Thomas Education Support Center,” at the elected officials’ regular monthly meeting on June 20.

According to Director of Community and Media Relations Jackie Simien, the action was taken during closed session.

Agenda documents that were released before the meeting showcased a rebranding proposal from Doggett that would replace the existing names on both sides of the stadium, with “Doggett BISD Stadium” on the top line, and “Toyota, Ford and John Deere” on the second line.

Also in the document, Doggett proposed the following for the three sides of the marquee sign: replace “Beaumont ISD” with “DOGGETT” on all sides on the top line, replace “Memorial Stadium” with Ford and Lincoln logos on the first side, Toyota and Mazada logos in the second side, and John Deere logos on the third side.

May 18, the board approved accepting a request for proposals (RFP) that would infuse $1.1 million directly into district coffers in exchange for stadium naming rights. The vote was 6-1, with Trustee Woodrow Reece the lone opposing vote.

BISD Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Hernandez described the details: Doggett would pay $100,000 a year for the term of the 10-year contract. In exchange, the business would be allowed to brand the stadium top name, a sign at the entrance of the stadium, and the opposite side adjacent to the press box. 

A vote to rename Memorial Stadium after former superintendent Dr. Carrol “Butch” Thomas failed by a 4-3 vote at the May 19, 2022, meeting.

In April 2010, BISD opened the stadium, during the time Thomas served as the 15-year superintendent.  

Thomas left BISD in 2012, before the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided the district offices then occupied by his immediate successor. Afterwards, the Texas Education Agency took over the district for financial fraud and test cheating, and replaced the Board of Trustees.

The stadium, originally projected to cost $26 million, topped more than $47 million by the time it was completed. The facility, which sits on 85 acres and includes a 10,600-seat football stadium and a competition-sized natatorium, was the subject of forensic audit findings after the Texas Education Agency (TEA) intervened not long after Thomas retired.

Evidence compiled by William D. Brown, partner, Forensic and Litigation Services for Weaver LLP, revealed minutes of meetings held between Thomas’ administrative team and the appointed community bond committee indicating the stadium was “fast-tracked” and quickly ballooned in costs controlled by Thomas himself.

He has also testified in defense of Calvin Walker, a former electrician contracted through the district, who was convicted of stealing over $1 million from BISD during Thomas’ tenure. 

In August 2018, the BISD school board approved renaming the stadium as BISD Memorial Stadium.

The stadium has a synthetic-turf playing surface and was built in highly expansive soils to handle the threat of hurricane rains. It consists of a stabilized base, perimeter trench drain system, underground drainage system and a mono-filament synthetic turf field installed over a rubberized elastic-layer.

The school board will meet next at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 20.