Katy ISD Takes High School Football to New Level with $72 Million Stadium

KATY, TX-- In Texas, everything is bigger and it's no secret as to what reigns supreme on Friday nights; it's football. Towns, and even cities shut down early on Friday evenings to make the varying  treks to away games. Hell, they'll shut down to go tailgate at home games! Well, Katy ISD near Houston just sweetened the pot following the completion of their record $72 million stadium, just in time for the 2017 season.

Legacy Stadium in Katy boasts 12,000 seats, a colossal video screen that would make Jerry Jones smile, enormous locker rooms for teams, LED lights on the outside of the stadium to display the home team's colors, and even luxury boxes available to corporate sponsors.

With the completion of the stadium, Katy ISD took control of the national record for most expensive high school football stadium previously held by Allen ISD for their $60 million stadium.

That got us thinking, what are some of the best high school football stadiums in west Texas? Therefore, this list was created:

1. Ratliff Stadium, Odessa: Opened in 1982. Capacity: 17,931.

Home to Permian and Odessa High Schools, Ratliff has been a Mecca of sorts for high school football fans.

2. San Angelo Stadium: Opened in 1956. Capacity: 17,500.

While the capacity says 17,500, there's not many stadiums that can beat the atmosphere of a home game for San Angelo Central High School.

3. Grande Communications Stadium, Midland: Opened in 2002. Capacity: 15,000

This stadium just looks aesthetically pleasing with stands that extend from endzone to endzone and an encroaching berm giving Grande Communications Stadium a cozy feel.  

4. Mustang Bowl, Sweetwater: Opened in 1939. Capacity: 6,500

The Sweetwater Mustangs' stadium almost looks like a football field built into a race track, with available seating around three-quarters of the stadium

5. R.R. Jones Stadium, El Paso: Opened in 1916. Capacity: 7,430.

R.R. Jones Stadium is listed as the third oldest stadium, at any level, according to the Texas Bob Stadium Database. It's also a Texas High School Football Hall of Fame honoree. With it's backdrop, you can see why it is as highly regarded as it is.