Temple Voters Reject Sammons Center Bond
Proposition A, a $15 million bond to replace the Sammons Community Center, was losing heavily in partial returns from Temple's voting centers.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall
Live Poll
Should your city raise property taxes to fund new public community centers?
Temple voters rejected Proposition A, a $15 million general obligation bond to rebuild Sammons Community Center. As of 10:30 p.m. with 25 of 42 voting centers reporting, the measure trailed 17,303 votes (71%) to 7,151 votes (29%).
Why it matters
The Temple City Council closed Sammons in March 2025 after finding severe structural problems following a May 2024 tornado, leaving the city without its main community center. The proposition's failure means officials must now weigh alternative funding options for the facility.
The bond would have funded a 20,000-square-foot replacement building, with an estimated $12.25 million for construction and site work. Rowan Digital Infrastructure's $3 million commitment depended on the bond passing, and the project's future funding is now uncertain.
The players
Temple City Council
The Temple City Council closed Sammons Community Center in March 2025 after finding severe structural integrity problems and placed the bond before voters.
Rowan Digital Infrastructure
Rowan Digital Infrastructure committed $3 million toward the replacement project, contingent on the bond passing.
The details
Voters cast ballots on Proposition A at voting centers across Temple. The city had considered repair, reconstruction and replacement before choosing replacement, which it said would reduce long-term maintenance costs.
Timeline
May 2024: A tornado damaged Sammons Community Center and exposed structural issues.
March 2025: The Temple City Council closed the center.
November 4, 2026: Voters rejected Proposition A.
Legacy Impact
The rejection follows directly from the May 2024 tornado, which exposed the building's structural problems and turned a damage claim into a question of whether Temple can afford a replacement. Officials now must decide between alternative funding paths while $106,628 in insurance proceeds is applied to roof replacement.
Residents who used Sammons Community Center are without its main facility while officials consider alternative funding. The rejected bond would have added up to 1.25 cents per $100 of taxable value, so the tax change is no longer on the table.
The takeaway
Voter rejection of a bond can shift a community's options for public facilities, forcing reliance on grants, insurance and private commitments. Residents interested in the decision can track city council agendas for the next steps.
What happens next
A decision on the $1.5 million Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant is expected in the coming months.
Further reading
Follow local decisions on the City Hall coverage for Temple's next steps on Sammons.
Live Poll
Should your city raise property taxes to fund new public community centers?
