May 2026 Bond Election

Proposed Stadium Project

The Royal ISD Board of Trustees has called a bond election for Saturday, May 2, 2026.

In this election, voters are being asked to consider one proposition: a proposed districtwide, multi-use stadium project designed to support student programs and district events across Royal ISD, including athletics, band, cheer, track, soccer, graduation ceremonies, and community use.

The proposed project is part of Royal ISD’s long-range facilities planning as the district has experienced significant enrollment growth. Current enrollment has increased to 3,219 students (April 2026), and projections indicate enrollment may exceed 8,700 students within the next 10 years.

This page provides information about the proposed project, current facility conditions, district growth, the future high school, tax impact, election details, and upcoming informational meetings so voters can review the proposal and its planning context.

The Proposal

What is included in the bond?

The May 2026 bond proposal includes funding for a proposed districtwide, multi-use stadium project located near the new Royal High School site and designed to support student programs and school activities across the district.

The proposed facility is planned to support:

athletics, including football, soccer, and track
fine arts, including band performances and related events
graduation ceremonies
districtwide and community events
youth and extracurricular programming

Key project elements include:

Seating capacity of approximately 7,500
Steel and aluminum bleachers
Conventional press box with film deck
Synthetic turf or natural grass field and end zones
New 8-lane track
Game-day fieldhouse for home, visitors, and officials
Sports lighting designed for event-level use
Video board, distributed audio, and broadcasting systems
Concessions and restroom facilities
Plazas, parking, and site infrastructure
Long-term districtwide accessibility and use

The current planning-level estimated cost is approximately $72 million, with final cost dependent upon design decisions, construction timing, and market conditions.

Why Now

Royal ISD has continued to experience enrollment growth associated with residential development across the district.

Key district growth data includes:

2,710 students on the first day of school in August 2025
3,132 students in December 2025
3,219 students in April 2026

According to a PASA demographic study, district enrollment is projected to exceed 8,700 students within the next 10 years.

Additional long-range planning considerations include:

The district is preparing for a new high school designed for approximately 3,000 students
The future high school site is located at FM 362 and McGregor Lane
The current Falcon Stadium is approximately 4.5 miles from the future high school site
Land is available for centralized planning near the new high school
Prior bond elections funded the new high school and land acquisition, but did not include approved funding for stadium improvements

Current Facility Context

Falcon Stadium has been in use for more than 60 years and continues to support district events and student programs.

Recent structural assessments identified recommended repairs and long-term maintenance items, including:

accessibility and safety updates
bleacher and structural repairs
seating, lighting, and event support areas
restroom and concession upgrades
track and field facilities
concrete deterioration and corrosion within existing support structures
long-term maintenance and repair considerations

These findings are part of the district’s broader long-range facilities planning considerations.

Tax Impact

If approved, the proposed bond would be repaid through the district’s Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate, which may only be used for voter-approved capital projects.

Bond funds cannot be used for teacher salaries, daily operations, or instructional programming.

If approved, the proposed bond is estimated to increase the tax rate by approximately $0.0165 per $100 of taxable value.

For a home valued at $250,000 after exemptions, this represents an estimated increase of approximately $1.44 per month.

Over-65 Homestead Exemption

Homeowners aged 65 and older who qualify for the homestead exemption would not see an increase above their school tax ceiling (frozen amount) on their primary residence as a result of this bond, unless improvements are made to the home.

Election Information

Election Day: May 2, 2026
Early Voting: April 20–28, 2026
Voter registration deadline: April 2, 2026

Election Day Polling Place Information

Election Day and Times: Saturday, May 2, 2026: 7:00am to 7:00pm

Election Day Polling Place(s) (All RISD Precincts [103, 106, 313, 314, 315, 416, 418, 419]): Brookshire Convention Center, 4029 5th St, Brookshire, TX 77423

Early Voting Polling Place Information

Early Voting Dates and Times: