BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Independent School District officials are once again considering renaming the BISD Memorial Stadium.
District officials will discuss changing the stadium's current name to the Carrol A. "Butch" Thomas Educational Support Center at a Thursday, May 19, 2022 meeting. This will be the fourth time in four years that the stadium's name will be debated.
According to BISD Board President Robert Dunn, Sr., the two members who put the item on the agenda were Woodrow Reece and Stacey Lewis Jr.
The stadium’s name was changed from the Carroll ‘Butch’ Thomas Stadium to its current one in 2018.
The name change came after a forensic audit revealed Thomas and his administration mismanaged a $389 million bond in 2007 that funded the stadium.
In 2020, the board brought up bringing back the 'Butch', but it was ultimately rejected.
In January of 2022, the board once again discussed changing the stadium's name. That time it was approved with a 4-2 vote but was later rescinded. Officials decided to consider selling the naming rights.
In early March of 2022, district officials held a meeting to discuss naming rights of the stadium. At the meeting, officials also discussed the potential criteria the board would use when deciding on a potential sponsor.
Board members were hoping for a minimum of $1 million with the new deal, and said they were eager to get it done. Members looked at other districts to see how they acquired their sponsorship deals.
Members talked about what they would like to see included in their set of criteria for a business looking to buy in.
“On this last one where you have bullet point number four where it says minority, military owned,” Stacey Lewis, Jr., district two trustee, said. “I would ask that we add veteran owned as well."
District officials planned to discuss sponsorship rights for other specific parts of the stadium.