The Des Moines School Board unanimously voted Tuesday to reject construction bids for a planned stadium at Drake University because the bids exceeded the district's budget for the project.
The total cost of the 4,000-seat stadium including construction and planning is projected to be $19.5 million. The stadium, which will be shared by Drake and Des Moines Public Schools, is slated to be built next to the Knapp Center. The district is to pay $15 million from a sales tax fund called SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education), and Drake will raise the remaining $4.5 million through private donations.
The stadium will be used for home football games for four of Des Moines' five high schools and for high school and Drake soccer games.