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Conroe ISD OK's Plans For New Sports Complex


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Conroe school board OKs plans for sports complex

The project must be approved by the Army Corps and city of Shenandoah

By RENEE C. LEE

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

CONROE - Setting the stage for a late summer groundbreaking, school officials approved design plans for a new 10,000-seat stadium and swim complex Tuesday.

Conroe Independent School District officials anticipated moving dirt on the 60-acre site in March, but the discovery of wetlands last year stalled the project.

Although the school board unanimously approved the design for the sports complex, the district now must wait for permit approvals from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Shenandoah. The project will be constructed behind the Portofino shopping center, just east of Interstate 45.

If everything goes as planned, requests for proposals for construction will go out in July. A groundbreaking would take place in August, said Bob Burns, the district's director of facilities. The project would be complete about 18 months later.

In addition to the 10,000-seat football stadium, the sports complex will include a 47,000-square-foot swimming center with an eight-lane pool and six diving boards. The complex will have 3,300 parking spaces.

The estimated cost is $35 million, from a bond measure voters approved in 2004.

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Wow, they are really going to close the WAC? That was really one of the only places that kids got a true day camp, not day care, experience in the Woodlands during the summer.

Why is the facility closing? I know the club uses the tennis courts up there, but it has no future plans to take over the entire Center.

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I cannot find the article with the snippet about the WAC closing after the natatorium is built. It mentioned that the property would be used for multi-family residential, it mentioned the tennis courts being moved.

It seems the WAC has lasted as long as it has because of the US Diving Team and as a place for HS swim training.

It is too bad about the day camps. I always thought that was a great community asset.

The natatorium and stadium should not be complete until late 2007 or 2008. Things could change.

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As a member of the WAC, I have a lot of info about this. The WAC is scheduled to be "phased out" in 2008. The WAC has already been "taken over/merged" with the Woodlands Country Club. The Club offered a discounted membership to WAC membersto join the country club. Apparently, they do not feel the expense of updateing the electrical and plumbing etc is worth the potential income. Additionally, they will probably include the newly acquired land with the land across the street to develop condos on Lake Harrison.

There is a lot of talk among members of the masters swim team and other club members about possible options to keep the club around, but no one is too optimistic. It will probably be scraped.

A real shame considering all the history of the WAC. Olympic dive champions trained there, as well as many champion swimmers.

The country club does not even own the tennis courts at the resort any more. At this time, my understanding is they sold them to the Resort and conference center with the golf courses, but the CC still leases them back for member use until they can develop some more.

It's all confusing and ugly.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i found the link. it explains the possible future of the WAC location.

link

also, katiedidit, i think that the day camps at the wac are sponsered by interfaith or the woodlands associations. perhaps only the location will change.

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They will allow WAC members to uprade to WCC membership for a small difference in monthly dues. But what about the initiation fee? I looked at what it costs for a "Sports" membership and the initiation fee is around $2,500 (no refunds) and the monthly dues are $160 ish. Maybe DH and I will join when the kids are gone but for right now I think the YMCA is more fun for them. :lol:

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So I'm assuming that means that The Woodlands HS, College Park, and Oak Ridge will call that home, leaving the stadium in Conroe all to Conroe HS? Or is there another HS I'm leaving out?

You forgot about Caney Creek. That school would probably share with Conroe.

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  • The title was changed to Conroe ISD OK's Plans For New Sports Complex

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