Melissa High School epitomizes the old adage that “everything is bigger in Texas.” Its brand-new, state-of-the-art $35 million football stadium does not match the extremely small enrollment of the school.
The Lone Star State does not mess around!
Melissa, Texas is located about an hour northeast from the heart of Dallas, 40 miles north of the center of the city. Nestled into Collin County, the town has a population of 24,376— which is more than six times the population from 2010. It is a suburb of DFW that continues grow as the state and its largest cities expand.
As the town continues to grow, so does the high school. That doesn’t mean it is a big school.
Rather, quite the opposite.
Melissa High School enrolled only 1,485 students during the 2022/23 academic year. Although that number likely saw a marginal increase in 2023/24, the official numbers have yet to be released.
And while an enrollment of 1,485 is tiny, it is up more than 300 students from 2020/21. The trajectory is only up. Melissa and its schools are only going to add more students as more time passes.
To get ahead of the growth, the school announced in 2022 that it was going to build a $35 million football stadium. Construction finished last year.
Some, if not most, college football programs do not compare.
The Cardinals, who only moved up into the 5A-D2 level two years ago, have some of the best facilities in the state. No expense was spared. Quite literally!
Here is how the stadium looks from down on the field:
Melissa’s new stadium is simply awesome. And we’ll be here week one for Argyle at Melissa. @melissaisd @Matt_Stepp817 @ProfessorDiggs pic.twitter.com/JGljjeHlWZ
— DFW Inside High School Sports (@ihss_dfw) August 7, 2023
Here is a glimpse at the indoor practice facility:
Melissa’s team meeting room is also far superior to most high schools.
Remember, all of this is for a school with approximately 1,500/2,000 students — total!
Melissa’s new facility is going to be ahead of the curve for years to come in terms of size, as well as status. It is still rather crazy to think about the discrepancy between present day enrollment, population and the massive football stadium!