A record number of voters showed up at the polls in Frisco on Saturday, but the vote to revoke $16.4 million in bonds that the city had previously committed to spend on a Collin County arts hall was won by a small margin.
The difference was fewer than 600 votes.
"Its disappointing from an Arts of Collin County standpoint because we've been working this so long," said Mike Simpson, executive director of the Arts of Collin County.
Frisco City Council member Pat Fallon supported the revocation.
The cities of Plano, Allen and Frisco had each agreed to pay $19 million but a vocal group of citizens in Frisco said it wasn't a good way to spend taxpayer money.
"That's the majesty of democracy. The people have spoken. I think, ultimately, it was clearly the right thing to do -- to ask again because it wasn't something the people wanted. It wasn't their top priority," Fallon said.
His biggest concern for the 120-acre arts hall project that has been in the planning for nine years was the lack of private funding.
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The Arts of Collin County plans to try to raise private funds to cover the $16.4 million that Frisco was set to pay.
More than $8 million in bond money has already been spent on design and other documentation but the project could not move forward without the $16.4 million in bond money.
The joint agreement between Plano, Allen and Frisco to create the 2100 seat performance hall is now in question.
"In the interlocal agreement, Frisco is supposed to be obligated for three more years of operation and maintenance but we are going to meet. We're going to discuss, we're going to find out what the next steps are," said Simpson.
Frisco city council is set to discuss the arts hall vote at their regular council meeting on Tuesday but when the three cities involved will meet to discuss the future of the arts hall remains to be seen.
"We want to get a meeting as quickly as possible with the three mayors, the three city managers of Allen, Frisco and Plano but we'll also invite Fairview and Melissa because they are member cities and we'll see if all five cities can get together and determine what's next," Simpson said.
