The City of Frisco is considering Request for Proposals for the 15,200 sq. ft. “Special Event Center” in the Frisco Discovery Center that is currently managed by Frisco Association for the Arts but owned by the city.
Among them, the City is considering a proposal from Gearbox, a video gaming company, who is relocating to Frisco and wants to convert this space into a Video Game History Museum. We welcome a Video Game History Museum in Frisco, but we take issue with displacing Frisco Arts, which represents many individuals and organizations, and serves the community throughout the year.
Our city needs more than just sports, business, and kid-focused activity. Frisco Arts and Visual Arts Guild of Frisco (VAGF) are trying to create culturally sophisticated education and entertainment options for all ages. Initiatives which need to be a higher priority for us. The City of Dallas’ “Business Arts Initiative” is an ideal model.
The Business Council for the Arts is looking at Frisco to expand their “Leadership Arts Institute” program to an “up North” option for businesses and business leaders.
A strong cultural identity was Toyota’s final reason for choosing Plano as their headquarters. Frisco, with so much land available for development, has the opportunity to expand our identity and create visual and performing arts venues for ALL to enjoy.
History:
Frisco Arts has managed the large, open “Special Event Center” in the back of the Frisco Discovery Center since 2010 and hosted over 13,000 guests. Those guests are individuals and organizations from across North Texas including art exhibits, concerts, theater productions, special events for city council members, Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts, Special Olympics, High school homecomings, quinceaneras, Polar Express, summer camps, and more. Frisco Arts has submitted an RFP to continue managing the Special Events Center to service the community.
Today’s Issue:
Gearbox is asking the city to match their future fundraising campaign of $3 million for a total of $6 million in renovations to convert the space into a video game museum. Frisco Arts is not asking for any renovations or additional money to continue operations.
Gearbox has stated this location is a temporary venue for the Video Game History Museum and they will eventually move out to their own stand-alone building. Frisco Arts would not consider this a temporary location but would expand into more markets such as weddings and conferences if granted the space.
When the City of Frisco first laid out plans for the Frisco Discovery Center, they estimated a nominal revenue. In a few short years, Frisco Arts has blown all expectations out of the water. Six (6) months into the year, they have far exceeded projected expectations for the entire year and look to double last year’s revenue.
The City underestimated the potential of this space and Frisco Arts fears that they are underestimating the impact of the loss that the Special Events Center (SEC) will have on the City of Frisco. With a proven track record, there is no other space like the SEC in Frisco with such low rental pricing, convenient location, square footage, high ceilings, A/C and heating, and loading dock.
Without this space, there will be a gap for arts organizations, but the citizens of Frisco. It should not be necessary to eliminate the Special Event Center to locate the Video Game History museum; both are beneficial to the city.
Frisco Arts has a proven track record of serving the community including but not limited to:
- Frisco High School (planning their second homecoming in the SEC)
- Heritage Middle School theater
- Frisco Flag Corp
- Frisco Aquatics
- Frisco Family Services
- Boy Scouts Circle 10 Council
- Young Entrepreneurs Association’s regional meeting
- CVB Leisure and Culture Day Luncheon
- Plano Area Special Olympics
- Race for the Cure “Rain Out” event
- 38 summer camps in 2014
- Rhea Lana Consignment (which benefits the City as they collected sales tax on over 11,000 items from their most recent event)
- Frisco Kids’ Consign
- Keller Williams Expo
- Bulloween, Lonestar Bulldog Rescue’s annual fundraiser for the 2nd year running
- Young Life Banquet for the 2nd year running
- Sculpture and Installation Art Exhibit
- Musical Angels Gala Fundraiser (they provide weekly music lessons for hospitalized children at Baylor Medical Center at Frisco)
- And last, but not least, Frisco Arts looks forward to the honor of hosting the City of Frisco Workers’ Expo for the 2nd year running
Questions the public should be asking:
1. Why can’t the Video Game History Museum be built inside the future Gearbox Headquarters in Frisco? It makes sense for people to visit this type of museum at their headquarters, not off-site.
2. If Gearbox is already stating that this is a temporary venue for their Video Game History Museum, then why would we consider displacing an entire community of arts organizations and special interests to accommodate a temporary version of a museum?
3. There is no proven record of revenue for a Video Game History Museum, whereas Frisco Arts has generated over 10 times the revenue set forth in the initial budget, exceeding all expectations.
4. A Video Game History Museum appeals to a narrow demographic (males between ages 16-32), whereas Frisco Arts helps promote the city of Frisco, spread goodwill and serve the entire community, both young and old. Are we considering what is best for our community as a whole?
“I would love to see Frisco become more balanced in what it offers, especially arts & cultural venues. I used to have season tickets to the symphony, but then we moved to Texas and Frisco became my bubble… I don’t want to have to drive a ton to go out, even to something I enjoy as much as the symphony. That’s not to say I think we need our own symphony, but with a son going into band as he enters middle school next year, I would like more opportunities for us to enhance that aspect of our lives.” ~~ Beckye Frey, Senior Planner, City of Frisco
“With the growing diversity, I want to see more culture in Frisco!” ~~ Sahara K., Frisco citizen
“We are a sports community but have to leave our area to see a show or participate in one. We should be a whole city with a diversity of theatre, arts festivals, and cultural events.” ~~ Shaylon S., Frisco citizen
“More than a space – we have seen the diversity in Frisco grow and we are proud supports have been honored to host incredible events such as a space for Ramadan observance, art expos, quinceañeras, the Institute of Global Music and Arts, andean National Central American Art Expo, the ZANT 25th Anniversary Gala (Zorastorian relgion begun in Prussia), Swami Mukunananda (world’s oldest revealed religion begun in Central Asia) and many, many more. The special events center serves the community, provides opportunities for cultural diversity, and brings thousands of guests to Frisco and the Frisco Discovery Center (FDC) each month. We would be honored to continue to have the opportunity to manage the Special Events Center at the Frisco Discovery Center. Maher Maso has said, “What is really important to me is to keep the community together.” That is what the Special Events Center at the FDC is doing – we are the glue for a wide variety of organizations and people across the city and we hope to continue to grow upon this legacy that we have built and continue to be a part of the long-term vision of Frisco as a self-sustainable city that serves the needs of the ENTIRE community.” ~~ Korinna Kirchoff, Frisco Arts President
The next CDC meeting is taking place on July 17th, at 6:30pm in the George Purefoy Municipal Building 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. Frisco, Texas 75034. After interviewing several Frisco Arts Association board members, we found out that Gearbox might be trying to rush the decision by setting up an executive meeting with the City Council before the public meeting with the CDC on July 17th.
The agenda states that there will be discussion on this matter as well as a time for citizen input. So, please come out and attend this important CDC meeting and speak up for the arts. This is crucial opportunity for the citizens of Frisco to shape our community into a culturally sophisticated city. PLEASE come out and make your voice heard… We don’t want to let this space go without anyone knowing about it!
