BEAUMONT, Texas — A vote to rename Beaumont Independent School District's Memorial Stadium after former superintendent Dr. Carroll "Butch" Thomas has failed.
The motion failed again during the Thursday meeting with a 4-3 vote against changing the name to the Carrol A. "Butch" Thomas Educational Support Center.
(Editor's Note: The video above is from a May 16, 2022 newscast)
District officials previously planned to discuss sponsorship rights for other specific parts of the stadium. A vote regarding the sponsorship rights did not take place Thursday night.
The two members who put the item on the agenda were Woodrow Reece and Stacey Lewis Jr., according to BISD Board President Robert Dunn, Sr.
The stadium’s name was changed from the Carroll ‘Butch’ Thomas Stadium to its current one in 2018.
Reece and Lewis were joined by Kevin Reece who voted to change the stadium back to Carrol A. Butch Thomas.
Robert Dunn, Joe Evans, Denise Wallace Spooner, and Matilda "Tillie" Hickman all voted against the name change.
Before the meeting, Lewis told 12News his motivation for the return of the agenda item.
“I hear the heartbeat and the concerns of my constituents,” Lewis said. “And for me being the representative district to it. I am beholden to my community, my constituents and this is what they want. So I will provide anything and support.”
Trustee At Large Denise Wallace Spooner said it would be a disservice to the district to have a name that represents a divide.
During the meeting, she shares an email she received from one of her constituents.
“I feel like if Dr. Thomas's name is put back on the stadium, more people will leave and it won't be the economically disadvantaged. I argued that percent will go even higher within the district and our city,” Spooner read at the meeting.
BISD board president Robert Dunn was open to changing the name back to butch only if district funds were not used.
Lewis declined to amend the proposal.
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 That time it was approved with a 4-2 vote but was later rescinded.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 the 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.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.