Coach Kenny Deel Stadium, the new 10,000-seat Melissa ISD outdoor stadium in development at Melissa High School, is expected to open to the public this fall in conjunction with the start of the 2023 football season. Melissa ISD plans to have a soft opening of the stadium by hosting the Melissa High School Class of 2023 graduation ceremony at the new facility, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, May 26.
If it is determined that Coach Kenny Deel Stadium will not be ready in time for a soft opening on May 26, Melissa ISD and the City of Melissa are in agreement that the contingency plan would be to instead hold graduation at Cardinal Stadium.
Melissa ISD will notify staff, students, parents/guardians, and the community by the last day of school on Thursday, May 25, in the event that graduation is moved to Cardinal Stadium. The most updated information regarding the Melissa High School Class of 2023 graduation ceremony can be found online at www.melissaisd.org/graduation.
Located next to the Melissa Championship Center, Coach Kenny Deel Stadium will seat approximately 10,000 spectators in addition to having common areas, concessions, restrooms, locker rooms, and eight academic classrooms. The stadium’s five-story press box will have two VIP rooms, two sky perches, and a large community room. There will also be dedicated sections for home and visiting coaches, media, scouts, announcers, and scoreboard operators.
Stadium rendering courtesy of Parkhill Architects.